Offer your comment on TJC EM revisions and USP drug compounding chapters

by A.J. Plunkett (aplunkett@decisionhealth.com)

You now have a chance to weigh in on proposed revisions to emergency management standards by The Joint Commission (TJC) as well as the long-delayed revisions to the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) chapters on <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Nonsterile Preparations and <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations.

TJC is seeking comment through a field review on the full Emergency Management standards chapter for hospitals and critical access hospitals. You have until September 29 to add your thoughts on the revisions through an online survey.

TJC says the revisions will be implemented in July 2022.

Meanwhile, USP is seeking comment on the two pharmaceutical compounding chapters through January 31, 2022.

The new and revised chapters had been set for implementation earlier, but USP announced delays in late 2019 following industry appeals for changes.

That also delayed the implementation of USP <800> Hazardous Drugs—Handling in Healthcare Settings because it referred to the other chapters. It instead remains “informational only” for now, although it is considered best practice, says Kurt Patton, MS, RPh, pharmacist, founder of Patton Healthcare Consulting, and former director of accreditation services for The Joint Commission (TJC).

TJC has said it will continue to survey hospitals to the current USP compounding chapters, but will expect hospitals to meet the requirements of local AHJs, as always.

According to the September 1, USP announcement, “revisions to chapters <795> and <797> reflect public health considerations, scientifically robust approaches, and numerous stakeholder engagement activities.”

USP will hold a series of open forums on the revisions. It has also posted several information documents online.