Every day, healthcare professionals, pharmacists, technologists and nurses handle dangerous cytotoxic drugs, putting their health at risk.

Exposure to contamination from antineoplastic drugs can occur at all stages, from preparation and reconstitution, through inhalation, skin contact, accidental ingestion from hand to mouth or injury from needles and sharp objects. The routine handling of dangerous drugs in the pharmacy has been shown to lead to a high risk of chromosomal abnormalities. Acute effects of exposure to hazardous drugs may include skin rashes and nausea, while chronic effects extend to infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, and malignancies.

Also, the use of higher doses and more combinations in modern anti-cancer therapy and the increasing use of new therapies such as antiviral drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and monoclonal conjugates may also increase the health risks of healthcare professionals.

To protect them, they need a safe and closed solution, which is what the Chemfort® Simplivia product line offers.

CHEMFORT® SIMPLIVIA is a Closed System Transfer Device-CSTD-that allows for the safe handling, preparation, transport, and administration of cytotoxic and other hazardous drugs. It features the patented ToxiGuard® dual mechanical drug-binding barrier technology. ToxiGuard® consists of a) an activated carbon matrix that, due to its adsorption capacity, attracts, traps and locks vapors, aerosols of cytotoxic drugs, viruses and bacteria b) a 0.2μm hydrophobic and oleophobic membrane.

ToxiGuard® prevents the escape of toxic drug vapors, aerosols and droplets, while maintaining the sterility of the drug throughout its entire path from vial to vein. ToxiGuard® also allows for automatic pressure equalization.

In combination with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), best practices and other controls, the Chemfort® product range provides safety by minimizing exposure to hazardous substances, including liquids, aerosols and vapors, while maintaining the sterility of the drug.

Nurses in particular are constantly at risk of direct exposure to hazardous drugs due to their key role in drug administration. In the administration rooms of oncology departments in particular, inadvertent exposure to hazardous drugs endangers not only nurses, but also other hospital staff, patients, their families and the environment.

Furthermore, nurses administering anti-neoplastic drugs have more chromosomal abnormalities and an increase in birth defects that appear to be related to the frequency of use and an increased risk of spontaneous abortions.

To ensure safe practice and reduce nurses’ exposure to hazardous drugs, guidelines from international organizations and scientific bodies including the Oncology Nursing Society recommend the use of CSTDs when administering hazardous drugs.

These core regulations and guidelines cover the safe handling of hazardous medications for nurses. In conjunction with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), best practices and other controls, innovative Chemfort® products provide safety when nurses handle and administer hazardous medications.

Chemfort® Simplivia products also prevent exposure in the veterinary workplace. Veterinarians are often at risk of direct exposure to hazardous medications. This can occur when treating companion animals or large animals with veterinary pharmaceuticals, such as antineoplastics and other hazardous medications.

Exposure can occur during all stages of treatment in the veterinary workplace. In addition, contact with hazardous medications can occur through contact with bedding, cages or animal waste. In veterinary settings, exposure to toxic veterinary drugs as droplets or vapors can occur through inhalation, skin contact, inadvertent ingestion from hand to mouth, or accidental needle and sharps injuries. This unintentional exposure to antineoplastic drugs also poses a health risk to other veterinary clinic workers and animal owners. In addition, hazardous drugs can also contaminate the environment.

To ensure safe practice and reduce veterinarian exposure to hazardous drugs, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommend the use of CSTDs such as Chemfort® that prevent exposure.

Chemfort® Simplivia products are distinguished by the safety they provide with scientific documentation from peer-reviewed articles, simplicity and ease of use, closed secure connection with one click and cost-effectiveness.

Maintaining normothermia in surgical patients throughout the perioperative period has been recognized as a critical factor in reducing postoperative complications, minimizing hospital stay, and improving overall outcomes.
Even mild hypothermia (core temperature <36°C) can lead to coagulation disorders, increased risk of surgical site infections, re-intubations, and the need for blood transfusions—particularly in deep or prolonged surgical procedures.

In this context, Mölnlycke has developed EasyWarm Plus, a single-use, self-warming, dividable active blanket, designed to safeguard the patient’s thermal balance before, during, and after surgery—without requiring mechanical devices or electrical power.

EasyWarm Plus utilizes a passive, self-activating technology based on thermal pads that activate upon exposure to atmospheric air and reach operating temperatures of approximately 39–40°C within 30 minutes. Its thermal performance lasts up to 10 hours, sufficiently covering all phases of patient care, from preoperative waiting, intraoperative use, to recovery and postoperative monitoring.

The blanket is ergonomically designed to split into two functional sections—an upper portion for the chest and upper abdomen, and a lower portion for the legs and pelvic area—allowing the surgeon to safely expose the required surgical field without interrupting the warming of the rest of the body. This feature makes EasyWarm Plus particularly suitable for laparotomies, perineal procedures, hip surgeries, gynecological or vascular operations, and for cases where thermal stability is critical, such as in elderly or pediatric patients.

The clinical effectiveness of EasyWarm Plus has been demonstrated in multicenter studies. In a prospective study involving 68 patients, a significant reduction in intraoperative temperature drop was observed, with a mean decrease of only –0.6°C compared to the typical drop of over 1.0°C in the absence of active warming. Moreover, in a randomized clinical trial, EasyWarm showed comparable effectiveness to forced-air warming, without the functional and technical demands of a mechanical system.

The use of the blanket also brings operational and ecological advantages. It is made of polypropylene (SMS 104 g/m²), free of latex, PVC, or phthalates. The interior contains heat-generating pads composed of a carbon, iron, salt, and clay mixture, remaining completely inert and non-irritating to the skin. The absence of mechanical or acoustic components minimizes particle dispersion in the surgical field—particularly important for ultra-clean procedures or immunocompromised patients.

In conclusion, EasyWarm Plus introduces a new dimension in active warming, offering an innovative, user-friendly, efficient, and clinically validated solution for the prevention of perioperative hypothermia. Its suitability across all stages of hospitalization and its independence from external power sources further reinforce its role as a modern standard in thermal management during surgery.