Your gift enables & sustains the registry and its mission
There are many different opportunities for you to give to the UMSOM Hazardous Drug Registry Center. Your generosity is truly appreciated!
The University of Maryland Hazardous Drug Safety Center have established a national exposure registry of oncology personnel who handle hazardous drugs, have handled them in the past, or work in a setting where hazardous drugs are used. Participants use a web-based survey to provide information about themselves, their workplaces, job duties, use of personal protective equipment, health, medical history, and family's medical history.
Initial completion of the survey takes up to 45 minutes. Information will be used to track the occurrence of cancer, reproductive outcomes, and other health problems in exposed workers. Self-reported cancer diagnoses will be confirmed with data from state/national cancer registries.
This registry is led by faculty and staff of the UMSOM Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and is approved by the University of Maryland, Baltimore Institutional Review Board. We have established alliances with several professional organizations to help conduct and translate findings from the project, including the following:
- Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)
- Hematology-Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA)
- American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP)
About the National Registry
Select a topic below to learn more:
The Need for a National Registry
Why do we need a National Registry?
This national registry will allow us to assess compliance with recommended safety practices, circumstances of and work tasks linked to high exposure, and the important health effects of concern in this group, including reproductive health outcomes and cancer. Findings will be critical in informing future safe handling practices and policies that will improve the health of oncology workers.
How To Participate
Participation in the survey is voluntary.
If you decide to complete the survey and change your mind, you have the right to drop out at any time. You may skip questions or stop participating at any time. Whatever you decide, you will not lose any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
How We Keep Your Data Secure
Data will be stored indefinitely in a secure electronic database and access is restricted to approved study personnel. Information may also be shared with state/national cancer registries to confirm cancer diagnoses reported by participants, and with the University of Maryland, Baltimore Institutional Review Board as needed to ensure compliance with the survey protocol.
Registry personnel will only use the personal health information that participants provide to us. Participant name or other identifying information will not appear when we present or publish results. The findings will be summarized and reported in group form only. Participants will not be identified personally.
What Are the Risks and Benefits of Participation?
Are there any risks from participation?
Participants will not have any more risks than they would in a normal day of life. There is a small potential for the loss or breach of confidentiality. Loss of confidentiality will be minimized by storing electronic data in a password-protected, restricted-use database.
What are the benefits to participating?
There are no direct benefits to individual participants. However, this registry will provide important information about the health effects of handling hazardous drugs that will help promote safer work environments for healthcare workers.
Donate to this Effort!
We are grateful for any donations to support this project!
Donations help ensure the successful implementation and management of the registry on a national scale and allow research studies that will answer important questions about the health and safety of oncology workers.
Any questions about philanthropic support can be directed to:
Sarah Bradley
Executive Directer, Corporate and Foundation Relations
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Office: 410-706-0107
Email: sbradley@som.umaryland.edu
Contact Us
Questions about the registry can be directed to the Primary Investigator:

Dr. Melissa McDiarmid
Professor of Medicine
Division Head, Epidemiology & Public Health
Hazdrugs@SOMUMaryland.onmicrosoft.com