System Improves Productivity, Drug Verification

Analytical Spectral Devices Inc has a new technology available for pharmacists?RxSpec. The product is a noncontact technology that directly measures and verifies the chemical composition and dosage of a prescription drug when it is being dispensed in a pharmacy.

The technology uses a combined visible and near-infrared spectroscopy inspection system to directly check a prescription drug while it is in the dispensing vial. The real-time measurement is sensitive to chemical composition, color, and dosage level. The measured "chemical fingerprint" is compared with a known database, thereby providing 100% assurance that the dispensed drug is correct both in type and concentration.The system is effective in distinguishing drugs that look alike, are of different dosages, or even are counterfeit.

RxSpec is integrated into the pharmacy work flow and can free the pharmacist to spend more time with patients. Whereas other techniques such as bar coding only identify a container label, RxSpec directly measures the drug itself. Therefore, any time a drug is moved from one container to another is a potential application point for RxSpec technology. This technology will work in all pharmacy environments, including central-fill, mail-order, and retail pharmacies.

"Specifically, RxSpec technology offers a way to directly measure a prescription drug as it is filled to ensure the correct drug and dosage are dispensed. Further, it is the only proof-positive manner to identify counterfeit drugs, which look identical to real drugs. Properly integrated into a pharmacy system, RxSpec will improve pharmacist productivity and the overall integrity of prescription drug verification," stated Dave Rzasa, president and chief executive officer of the company.