ULTRAVIOLET SANITIZATION IN PHARMACY ENVIRONMENTS

摘要

Systems and methods to reduce bioburden on at least a portion of a fluid transfer port include supplying a dose of radiation to the portion in optica l communication with at least one source of radiation. In an illustrative ex ample, a medical container, such as a vial or IV bag, receives a dose of ult raviolet (UV) energy substantially at a predetermined region of a fluid tran sfer site. In some examples, such a sanitization process may precede a fluid transfer operation in which a fluid is transferred into or out of the medic al container by passing through the sanitized region. Such fluid transfers m ay be used in automated or semi-automated pharmaceutical processes, such as drug reconstitution. Various embodiments may further include one or more sea l assemblies, each seal assembly having an aperture through which the radiat ion dose is supplied from the source to a controlled region on the fluid tra nsfer port.