Health professionals who handle antineoplastic agents are exposed to several chemical hazards. Therefore, their occupational exposure must be carefully monitored and prevented. The use of closed-system devices in drug preparation has been recommended by several international guidelines for the handling of cytotoxic drugs. To compare the contamination of work surfaces with gemcitabine following closed-system preparation versus standard needle techniques, using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV). Wipe test samples were collected from a drug handling facility, then extracted and analyzed by HPLC-UV. Readings were taken at 268 nm. Of the 303 samples collected, 31 were obtained from intact vials, while 272 were used to compare gemcitabine contamination levels following conventional versus closed-system preparation. Approximately 50% of samples obtained following each procedure tested positive for the contaminant. The amount of contamination on vials, sterile fields and syringes was lower when closed-system devices were used for drug manipulation. A total of 16.1% of the intact vials removed from their original packaging were also contaminated. The method used in the present study was effective in detecting gemcitabine in the devices and individual protective equipment involved in drug manipulation. These findings demonstrate the exposure risk of health professionals who handle these substances, and the importance of closed-system devices in reducing aerosol formation and contamination during handling.