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Is this true?

A lady with Crohn's told me today that I shouldn't handle or touch my son's 6mp tablets because they are very potent and radiactive as they are a leukemia drug...........well?????????
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
"All chemotherapy drugs taken by mouth can pose a health hazard to caregivers and patients. You should be careful when handling this medicine and try to keep the drug from touching the skin. Taking precautions will ensure that both the patient and the caregiver are protected as well as possible.
- Prepare a clean area where the drug can be handled safely (away from areas where food is prepared, out of the reach of children, and out from under any air vents or fans).
- We suggest you or the caregiver wear gloves while handling this medicine. Wash your hands right away if your skin comes in contact with the medicine.
- Carefully wash tablet cutters with warm soapy water after each use and allow to dry. Completely clean up any spills in the area where the medicine is prepared.
- For the liquid, St. Jude will provide enough oral syringes for each dose. Use each oral syringe only one (1) time and then discard it in the trash. Do not try to wash and reuse the syringes." http://www.stjude.org/SJFile/mercaptopurine.pdf

"Women of child-bearing age/pregnant should take precautions when handling this medication. At the minimum, wash your hands thoroughly following direct contact with the medication. Ideally, use gloves when handling the medication or have another person dispense it. Avoid exposure as much as possible. For example, do not crush the medication without taking precautions to prevent breathing in airborne particles." http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=40438

"Radioactivity (in the form of sulfate) could be found in the urine for weeks afterwards." http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=1117

Yes it can be used to treat leukemia.

My mom handled mine without gloves if that makes you feel any better. No one told her not to. Then again this was like 20 years ago. You can talk to your local pharmacist to be sure.
 

afidz

Super Moderator
Thanks for bringing this up farmerswifey! I had no idea that it was used for cancer as well and how it should be handled!
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
Yes it used for chemotherapy as it is for a wide variety of other diseases.

If you use film coated tablets that are intact then there is no risk.

The risks of handling apply to uncoated tablets, cutting or crushing tablets and liquids.

Dusty. xxx
 

Catherine

Moderator
We were given same advise as Dusty's post, no problem if tablet coating is undamaged. If you have concerns speak to your chemist.
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
A lady with Crohn's told me today that I shouldn't handle or touch my son's 6mp tablets because they are very potent and radiactive as they are a leukemia drug...........well?????????
I am not a pharmacist or medical physicist, but I don't beleive the tablets are radioactive.
 
"Radioactivity (in the form of sulfate) could be found in the urine for weeks afterwards." http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=1117
This is BAD info to give out... You missed the first part of the paragraph where they state 35S-6-mercaptopurine. This is a special formulation of a drug with a radioactive sulfur isotope. S35 isotope is commonly used in TESTING formulations of drugs. Not those sold and administered to general consumers/public/patients (whatever we are....)

In the linked NIH document all the paragraph partially quoted here let's you know is that the 6mp is in your body for weeks afterward.

http://www.perkinelmer.com/Catalog/Category/ID/Radioisotopes

---

6mp is not radioactive normally..

Everything else mentioned is good advice as far as I know.
 
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