What is the recommended air pressure for a room where hazardous drug compounding occurs?

The recommended air pressure for a room where hazardous drug compounding occurs is negative pressure relative to adjacent areas. This configuration is essential for maintaining safety in the compounding environment. Negative pressure helps ensure that any airborne contaminants or hazardous drug particles do not escape from the compounding room into adjacent areas, thereby protecting both personnel and patients.

In the context of USP <800>, which outlines standards for handling hazardous drugs, maintaining negative pressure is a critical component in implementing proper containment strategies. It helps to contain any potential exposure to hazardous substances by drawing air into the compounding area from outside, rather than allowing potentially contaminated air to flow out into the surrounding environment.

The other options do not provide the necessary level of containment required when working with hazardous drugs, as positive pressure or equal pressure would risk the escape of contaminants, while ventilated pressure without restrictions could lack the specific control needed. Maintaining a negative pressure ensures a safer working environment for those involved in the compounding process.