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Drug Contamination

Meaning

Drug Contamination refers to the unintended introduction of impurities, microorganisms, foreign particulate matter, or other undesirable substances into a pharmaceutical product, especially during the compounding or manufacturing process. This contamination compromises the drug’s quality, purity, and safety, posing a significant and sometimes fatal risk to the patient. In the hormonal health domain, sterile compounded injectables and pellets are particularly vulnerable to microbial contamination, as demonstrated by historical outbreaks of systemic infections linked to non-adherence to strict aseptic guidelines. Preventing contamination is a core mandate of regulatory oversight, ensuring that the final product is both potent and safe for clinical use.