(30 November 2020) Following up on the European Commission’s fourth revision of Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (CMD), EPSU, the ETUC and the EONS have called upon the European Parliament and the Council to include hazardous medicinal products and substances toxic for reproduction in the CMD.
An open letter sent to Members of the European Parliament's Special Committee on Beating Cancer outlines the significant health risks caused by regular exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic drugs. These drugs, which destroy cell growth, are usually used to treat cancer. However, uncontrolled exposure can in fact increase the chance of developing cancer, and is associated with fertility and reproductive problems. Every year more than 12.7 million health professionals in Europe, including 7.3 million nurses, are exposed to these hazardous drugs.
The letter, in line with EPSUs Stop Cancer at Work campaign, calls upon the European Parliament and the Council to include Hazardous Medicinal Products, as mentioned above, in CMD Annex I and Substances toxic for reproduction in the CMD scope.
- Log in to post comments
