What kind of drugs does the USP 800 standard pertain to?

The USP 800 standard pertains specifically to hazardous drugs. This standard was developed by the United States Pharmacopeia to ensure the safe handling of drugs that may present a risk to healthcare workers, patients, and the environment. Hazardous drugs, as defined by USP 800, are medications that can pose a significant risk of toxicity or adverse effects due to their nature, even in small quantities. This includes drugs that are carcinogenic, teratogenic, or have reproductive toxicity, as well as those that can cause organ toxicity at low doses.

The standard sets forth guidelines for the proper handling, storage, preparation, and disposal of these drugs to minimize exposure and protect healthcare workers and patients.

The other options do not fall under the scope of USP 800. Non-prescription over-the-counter drugs generally do not have the same level of risk associated with their handling. Vaccines are specifically addressed by other guidelines that focus on their storage and administration but are not classified as hazardous under USP 800. Similarly, medications for chronic diseases can include a wide variety of drugs that may or may not be hazardous and are not specifically governed by this particular standard. Thus, the focus of USP 800 remains squarely on the management of hazardous drugs.