A New Way to Get Prescriptions: Vending Machines
June 22, 2005— -- It seems you can get almost everything out of a vending machine, from soft drinks and sandwiches to umbrellas and sewing kits.
Soon you may even be able to get prescription medicine from a vending machine.
At one drug store in San Diego, pharmacists dispense nearly 1,600 prescriptions a day. The high volume prompted owner Max Atiya to add a drug-dispensing kiosk to his store.
He says customers are buying into this new way of doing business.
"They like the fact that they don't have to deal with anyone," Atiya said. "They go to a machine and they basically dispense their medication."
First-time prescriptions still go through a pharmacist, but the automated pharmacy machine can be used to streamline the refill process.
Bill Homes of the Distributed Delivery Networks Corp. created the machine.
"People who would benefit from the machine are people who need to get in and out without consultation," Homes said.
Customers are still welcome to consult a pharmacist at any time and are encouraged to ask questions, but some in the industry worry that the machines could lead to the misuse of medicine.
"Anything that limits or diminishes the amount of face time between the pharmacist and the patient contributes to that problem," said David Breslow of the California Pharmacists Association.
Steve Fazziola, pharmacy manager, is confident with the technology.
"This machine can do as good a job as I allow it to do," Fazziola said. "And it won't get tired or make mistakes unless we mess up."
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