Medicinal products as a causative agent of occupational diseases in pharmaceutical workers (literature review)

Abstract

The issue of occupational diseases in chemical and pharmaceutical workers is urgent because it stems from the rapid pace of development, the functional features, and the high biological activity of raw materials used by that industry. The study is aimed at summarizing the information on preconditions and nature of occupational diseases among chemical and pharmaceutical workers based on the analysis of literature data. An important prerequisite for the emergence of occupational diseases is the shortcomings in the production process, leading to pollution of surfaces and workspace air with chemicals through the use of semi-automatic equipment in particular. The harmful substances then enter the bodies of workers through the respiratory system, which is the main and most harmful way. The most dangerous processes are the production and processing of substances with high pharmacological activity, and thus the active pharmaceutical ingredients maybe considered to be the leading causative agents of occupational diseases in the industrial production of medicinal products. The range of diseases diagnosed in pharmaceutical workers is diverse and includes acute intoxication, effects on internal organs, reproductive function, changes in hormonal status, and changes in the hemic system and nervous system. The most common are diseases of respiratory organs and diseases of allergic origin. As a result, influential international organizations and many authors emphasize the need to develop criteria and methods for assessing the harmful effects of medicinal products on the health of workers when authorizing their production.