Process performance of a new liquid medication dispensing robot.

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical technology
• Robotic automation in healthcare
• Medication dispensing systems

Background:

• Liquid medications offer advantages over solid dosage forms, especially for patients with swallowing difficulties or requiring enteral feeding.
• Accurate and precise dispensing of liquid medications is crucial for patient safety and therapeutic efficacy.
• Current methods for preparing liquid doses can be labor-intensive and prone to errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of the Nooddis robotic system for automated filling of single-dose liquid medications.
• To assess the accuracy, precision, and microbiological quality of the Nooddis system.
• To determine the suitability of the Nooddis robot for routine production and medication tapering.

Main Methods:

• The Nooddis robot's performance was assessed using 18 different liquid medications.
• Accuracy and precision were evaluated using an automatic in-line checkweigher, with 648 sealed cups prepared.
• Microbiological testing was conducted to ensure compliance with pharmacopoeial standards.

Main Results:

• The Nooddis robot demonstrated filling accuracy within ±10% for volumes ranging from 75 µL to 21.25 mL.
• Repeatability and intermediate precision were validated, with %RSD values ranging from 0.05% to 6.59%.
• All dispensed medication cups met USP and European Pharmacopoeia criteria for microbiological quality.

Conclusions:

• The Nooddis robot is an accurate and reliable technology for dispensing precise amounts of liquid oral medication in single-dose cups.
• The automated tapering system supports medication tapering and misuse prevention, enhancing patient monitoring.
• The Nooddis system presents a relevant and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of administering liquid medications.