HK1230065B - Method of and device for receiving and checking individualized doses of medicines - Google Patents

Description

Device and method for receiving and testing personalized medications

The present invention relates to individualized compounding of medicines, especially pills.

For drug users who take multiple different drugs, it is often difficult to ensure that the prescribed drug combination is obtained at each intake. In order to facilitate obtaining the prescribed combination at each intake, it has been proposed to prepare personalized mixed doses of drugs and pre-package these doses according to the subsequent intake time of a specific patient.

In practice, for each of a series of subsequent ingestion times, according to the patient's prescription record, pills are collected from a selected distribution box to form an individualized mixture of drugs, and these doses are individually packaged in a series of film-sealed packages. To ensure the correctness of the mixture, the composition of each package in the series of sealed packages is evaluated and tested in an automated process, for example, according to WO2005/017814.

While highly effective, the process still has drawbacks. For example, if testing reveals that a dose is not correctly composed, for example, because the pill cannot exit the box or is caught in the dispensing chute, one package in the series may be discarded. If a package in a series is discarded, the series must be discarded or the dose composition of the discarded package in the series must be manually modified and re-verified. Furthermore, if a dose cannot be composed according to the prescription, for example, because the drug stored in the box has been used up, the dispensing process is stopped.

The present invention aims to alleviate the above-mentioned drawbacks. The present invention provides a method for receiving and testing an individualized compound of a drug, comprising repeating the following steps:

- receiving a variety of dispensed medications that form an individualized cocktail of medications,

- Evaluate the composition of the individualized compound of the drug by automated analysis of the received medication,

- verify the composition of the individualized compound of the medicine received against the record of the composition of the individualized compound of that medicine, and

- if the test result is positive, expelling the individualized compounded dose of the received drug for packaging in a dose compartment of a multi-dose compartment packaging, and

- If the test result is negative, the individualized compounded dose of the received drug is discharged without being packaged in a dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment packaging.

By evaluating and testing the composition of the individualized agent before packaging, it is possible to package only agents that have a positive test result. This approach can prevent a series of packages from being discarded due to the incorrect composition of one packaged agent. It should be noted that the following is also possible: the step of discharging the received individualized compounded agent of the drug for packaging in the agent compartments of the multi-dose compartment packaging may include an intermediate step. In other words, if the test result is positive, before discharging it into the agent compartments of the multi-dose compartment packaging, the received individualized compounded agent of the drug to be packaged is first discharged into a tray, for example, a buffer tray. The tray may include multiple compartments for sorting the drugs. Specifically, the bottom of the tray may, for example, have an opening so that the multi-dose compartment packaging can then receive the individualized compounded agent of the drug from the tray. Other ways of discharging the drug from the tray into the multi-dose compartment packaging are also possible. For example, the open surface of the multi-dose compartment packaging can be placed on the open surface of the tray, and then the tray and/or the multi-dose compartment packaging can be flipped.

The automated analysis step includes optical recognition and may specifically include storing photographic images of individual mixtures of reagents. The method steps are in principle sequential, but may at least partially overlap for a given individualized mixture. The method is intended for sequentially combining individualized mixtures of a drug, but the steps of sequential individualized mixtures of a drug may occur simultaneously, i.e., in parallel, but with the steps interleaved.

The individualized compounding of the previously received medication can be evaluated and/or tested while simultaneously receiving the individualized compounding of the subsequent medication. This approach can increase output. Specifically, the subsequent dose is received in separate receiving areas while the previous dose is evaluated for buffering. This approach causes the dose being received to stop moving before it is evaluated. This is particularly advantageous when the medication includes harder pills because they are prone to rebounding. It should be noted that the individualized compounding of the subsequent medication can be the dose received later, but does not have to be the next dose because there may be buffering for multiple doses.

After receiving in the receiving area, the individualized compound of the received medicine can be moved to a separate evaluation area. This separation prevents the receiving process from disrupting the evaluation process. The receiving and evaluation areas can be separated spatially, but preferably also physically.

The individualized compound of a received and tested medication can be discharged while the individualized compound of a subsequently received medication is being evaluated and/or tested. This further increases efficiency.

After testing in the evaluation area, the individualized compounded dose of the received and evaluated/tested medication can be moved to a separate discharge area for discharge. In this way, any time required for the discharge step does not increase the time required for evaluation and testing. The evaluation and discharge areas can be spatially separated, but preferably are also physically separated.

After the individualized compound of the accepted and tested medication is discharged, any remaining medication in the discharge area can be inspected. For example, this can be performed by automated optical inspection, and an optical image (particularly a digital photograph) of the discharge area after discharge can be stored in the record of the individualized compound of the medication together with an optical image (particularly a digital photograph) of the evaluation area containing the medication.

The multi-dose compartment package can be indexed by a dose compartment to receive the discharged individualized mixed dose of the drug. For example, the multi-dose compartment package can be indexed by the dose compartment to be positioned so that its position corresponds to the outlet of a chute connected to the discharge area. For each received individualized mixed dose of the drug, the multi-dose compartment package can be virtually and/or physically indexed to another dose-free compartment.

If the test result is negative, then this dose compartment can be skipped and it can keep open to accept the individualized compounding agent of medicine.If the test result is negative, can accept the multiple medicines that form the individualized compounding agent of medicine according to this record for the second time, and can index the dose compartment of skipping to pack the individualized compounding agent of medicine.This index may, for example, occur after discharging in the situation that the composition test of the dose accepted for the second time is positive.In this way, in the situation that finding that a dose has wrong composition, the packing process can continue to pack those buffers that have correct composition in the compartment of its distribution, and when the correct composition dose of this packing is discharged to wait for packing, the gap in the compartment of a series of dose packings that may be temporarily formed at the compartment corresponding to the dose of wrong composition can be filled afterwards.

The dose compartment in the multi-dose compartment package can be dedicated to the individualized compounding agent of the medicine according to the specific record separately.Can provide the unique physical identification, for example, number, of the individualized compounding agent for this compartment or medicine in this compartment separately to the dose compartment.Can provide the identification of the dose compartment in advance, and can be coupled to the record, or can generate and be provided to the dose compartment for this record, when dose is discharged or afterwards.

The dose compartments in a multi-dose compartment package can conveniently be closed only after all individualized compounded doses for the medicaments intended for that package have been packaged.

The composition of the individualized compounding agent of the medicine contained in the dosage compartment of packaging can be evaluated by the medicine contained in the automated recognition compartment, and can be recorded and inspected for the composition of the individualized compounding agent of the medicine for this compartment.Automated recognition preferably comprises optical recognition.Evaluation can comprise capturing optical images, especially taking digital photos, and analyzing this image to extract pill identification characteristics, including size, shape, color, lines and markings.The captured image can be compared with the image stored in a database or library.

The repeating step may include a first step of automatically dispensing the medicine from a plurality of mutually different medicine reservoirs according to the record of the personalized compounding agent of the medicine. The repeating step may also include an alternative first step of manually dispensing the mutually different medicine according to the record of the personalized compounding agent of the medicine.

The present invention also provides a device configured to receive and test individualized compoundings of medicines, which are configured, alone or in combination, to perform the above steps.

In particular, the present invention provides a device configured to read, test, and if positive, thereafter discharge an individualized compound of a medicament to be packaged, in particular according to the method steps of any one of claims 1-15.

The device for receiving and testing a personalized compound of a drug may comprise:

- a receiving area for receiving a plurality of dispensed medicaments forming an individualized cocktail of medicaments,

an evaluation area with automated recognition equipment for evaluating the composition of individual compoundings of the drug by automated recognition of the received drug,

a computer, in particular for checking the received individualized compound of the medicament before it is discharged to be packaged and/or against its composition record before packaging, and

- an ejector that ejects the received individualized compounded dose of the medicine to be packaged in the dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment package if the test result is positive, and ejects the received individualized compounded dose of the medicine without packaging in the dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment package if the test result is negative.

By presenting the receiving region as a dose buffer physically separated from the evaluation region, it is possible to collect the drug containing dose and stop the movement while a previously collected dose is being collected.

The device may comprise a packaging device which is arranged to receive the individualised admixture of the tested medicine to be packaged from the ejector. Through this integrated packaging, the reliability of the process can be further enhanced.

The device may include multiple transport containers configured to receive the agent from the agent buffer and confine it within the container during transport. In this way, the pharmaceutical agent can be transported along multiple processing areas, such as an evaluation area and a discharge area, without the risk of losing the agent from the container. Such transport containers can receive the collected pharmaceutical agent through a movable bottom in the agent buffer. The transport container may be annular, in particular, with an open top and bottom, and may be configured to slide on a hard bottom, such as a steel and/or glass plate.

The transport container can be configured to transport the agent from the evaluation area to the discharge area. For example, the evaluation area can be provided with top and/or bottom cameras for capturing an optical image of the agent, light for enhancing the image, a backlight for providing illumination, a semi-transparent mirror for reflecting the image-enhancing light or backlight, and/or an oscillator for preventing the drugs in the agent from being stacked or overlapping.

The transport container may be arranged to be indexable, for example, between an evaluation area and a discharge area.The discharge area may comprise a chute connected to a hole in a hard floor.

The device may also include a tabletop configured to carry the multi-dose compartment package, the tabletop being positionable on its flat surface so that the dose compartments of the multi-dose compartment package are aligned with the dispensing area corresponding to the discharge area. It should be noted that the tabletop may carry an intermediate tray that allows the multi-compartment package to receive medication from the ejector. The intermediate tray may then be aligned with the multi-dose compartment package so that the medication can be discharged from the intermediate tray into the multi-dose compartment package.

This device can also comprise the processing area that can be aligned with the discharge area, for example box or pallet, and it has the compartment that separates and is used to hold the agent of wrong combination.Use this type of compartment that separates to promote the recovery of single medicine in the agent of wrong combination, for example, for redistribution.Or or in addition, can manually revise the composition of the agent of wrong combination, and can make correct agent be returned to the receiving area or the inspection area of machine.Also these can be provided on the desktop.

The device may further comprise a reading unit for reading a code on a multi-dose compartment package carried on a tabletop, and may comprise a writing unit for writing a code on an individual package of the multi-pack.

It should be noted that the above-described method steps and technical features can each be embodied individually in a method or apparatus for receiving and testing a personalized compound of a drug, that is, separately from the content described therein, separately from other steps or features, or in combination with several other steps or methods described in the disclosure thereof. These steps or features can also be combined in any combination with other disclosed steps or features.

The present invention will be further explained based on the non-limiting exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG1 shows a front perspective view of a device for receiving and testing an individualized compound of a drug;

FIG2 shows a rear perspective view of the apparatus of FIG1 ;

Figures 3a and 3b are front perspective and top views, respectively, of a multi-dose compartment blister package;

FIG4 is a side view of the last three packaging steps of the multi-dose compartment blister package;

Figure 5 is a top view of the XY positioning table, and

6 is a side view of an apparatus for receiving and testing individualized compounding of pharmaceuticals with an integrated packaging device.

It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are only schematic diagrams of preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Figures 1 and 2 show an apparatus for receiving and testing a personalized compound of a medication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The device 1 comprises a receiving area for receiving a plurality of dispensed drugs, which form an individualized mixed dose of drugs. The receiving area is represented by a dose buffer 2, in which the drugs containing the drugs can be collected and stopped from moving.

The device 1 may preferably have a counting gate along the path that the medication must pass through on its way to its destination in the medication dispensing machine, particularly the receiving area and/or testing area. In the gate, the amount of medication that passes through the gate can be counted and then compared with the amount of medication in the individualized compound of the dispensed medication. In this way, it is known that all medication has passed through. When the gate is located upstream of the receiving or testing area, it can be assumed that all medication doses have reached their destination, such as the testing or receiving area, shortly after they have passed through the gate, making it easier for the doses to be transferred from the receiving area to the testing area. In this way, the testing process can be started without having to calculate the standard run time for dispensing medication or without having to wait until the medication stops moving in order to be counted. In operation, this can save a considerable amount of time. The counting gate may include any type of sensor or sensor array with a fast response, and for example, may preferably be an optical gate, such as a light gate comprising an array of photocells, a scanning gate comprising a laser scanner, or a camera gate comprising a group of cameras arranged at an angle to each other. Obviously, such a counting gate may also be preferably used in any type of device for dispensing and/or testing medication compounds.

The device 1 also comprises an evaluation area with an automated identification device 4 for evaluating the composition of individual compounded doses of the drug by automated identification of the received drug. The evaluation area is identified as a dose test location 3, in which a container 5 is placed. The dose buffer 2 is physically separated from the evaluation area.

The automated identification device 4 includes a top digital camera 6 and a bottom digital camera (not shown) for taking pictures of the pills at the inspection location. The automated identification device 4 in this embodiment also includes auxiliary equipment, such as a light 7, to enhance illumination of the pills at the inspection location 3. The device 1 also includes a semi-transparent mirror (not shown) to allow image-enhancing light emitted from a bottom light (not shown) to reflect or pass through, allowing the image to be captured to obtain a clear image of the pill's outline. Additionally, the device includes an oscillator 8 to prevent the drugs contained in the pills from being stacked or overlapping.

Preferably, the oscillator can be configured as an exciter that excites the evaluation area with a limited number of excitations, for example, a set of five or fewer excitations, more preferably three or fewer excitations, and most preferably only a single or dual excitation. By using only a few taps, nudges, or jogs as excitations, significant time can be saved during the testing process because the oscillator can deliver this set of excitations in a fraction of a second while keeping the energy transferred to the pill low enough to allow the pill to quickly return to a resting position where it can be evaluated. Obviously, such an exciter can also be preferably used with any type of device that dispenses and/or tests pharmaceutical compounds. Other device components of the identification device 4 in this embodiment include a spectroscopic device 9 based on Raman spectroscopy. The spectroscopic device 9 includes a spectroscopic head 10 having a radiation-emitting fiber and a positioning arm 11 for positioning the spectroscopic head 10 at a specific pill. The spectroscopic head can be positioned at a predetermined distance from the top or bottom surface of the pill to be evaluated. Preferably, the positioning arm 11 positions the spectroscopic head 10 at the center of the pill to be evaluated at a specific height above or below the center of the pill. The predetermined distance of the spectroscopy head 10 can be a fixed height relative to the surface on which the pill rests, i.e., the glass plate 14, or it can be a fixed height relative to the top surface of the pill, for example, determined using a distance probe. Conveniently, the spectroscopy head 10 can be positioned near the bottom of the plate 14 or measured upwards from the bottom of the plate 14, so that the predetermined distance can be the thickness of the plate on which the pill rests. In this way, obtaining accurate measurements with high reproducibility is relatively simple, while also simplifying the collection of reference measurements in a test setup that includes the same configuration as the head and plate on which the pill rests. The center or other location of the pill where the spectral measurement is to be taken can be determined from the image obtained by the camera. The spectroscopy head 10 then illuminates the surface of the specific pill with a laser beam at the predetermined height. The reflected spectral measurement value is determined, for example, by the density of the pill. In the case of non-uniform pills, several spectral measurements are taken at several predetermined locations around the pill, for example, on a 1-2 mm diameter circle.

The reflected spectral measurement is determined by the density of the particular pellet, the height/position of the point of the spectrum 10 relative to the pellet's upper surface, and the power of the laser beam. Preferably, the laser power is minimized to ensure minimum exposure time to the pellet and prevent degradation of the pellet by the laser beam.

The spectral measurements can then be compared with stored spectral measurements taken at the same location and height of a reference pill. Thus, a specific pill can be identified in a simple manner. Raman spectroscopy can also be used to eliminate problems in situations where the collected visual information is insufficient to identify a specific pill, or, for example, to prove that the pill is genuine and not a counterfeit. It should be noted that this use of Raman spectroscopy for the evaluation of the composition of individualized compounding formulations of medications is an invention in itself and can also be applied to any type of prior art device used for evaluation, including post-packaging evaluation.

In addition, the device comprises a computer that verifies the evaluation composition of the individualized compounding agent of the received medicine against the composition record of the individualized compounding agent of the medicine (not shown). This should be further described in detail and is preferably performed before discharging to be packaged and/or before packaging the individualized compounding agent of the medicine.

Device 1 may include a transport container 5, which is arranged to receive the dose from the dose buffer 2 and confine it in the container during transport. The transport container 5 is arranged to transport the dose from its dose inspection position 3 at the evaluation area to the discharge position 12 at the discharge area. The transport container 5 is arranged to receive the collected dose of medicine by the movable bottom 13 in the dose buffer 2 when it is at the dose inspection position 3. The transport container 5 is annular and is arranged to slide on a glass plate 14. The glass plate 14 is hard, so the pills can slide smoothly on its surface. The container 5 is fully open on the bottom and top. The open top allows the pills to enter the container and to check the entire area closed by the ring. The open bottom combined with the glass plate allows the pills in the container to be checked from the bottom by a camera, and also allows backlight to pass through. The inner side of the ring wall includes a light 7 to provide floodlighting of the pills.

At the discharge area 15, the device 1 also includes an ejector that ejects the received individualized compounded dose of medication for packaging in the dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment packaging if the test result is positive, and ejects the received individualized compounded dose of medication without packaging in the dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment packaging if the test result is negative. This discharge area includes a chute 16 connected to a hole 17 in the rigid plate, which forms the entrance to the chute. The transport container is indexable between the dose testing position 3 and the discharge position 15, as indicated by the double-headed arrow in Figure 2.

Device 1 also comprises packaging equipment, and in this embodiment, it is integrated into machine and comprises the tabletop 18 that is arranged to carry multiple dose compartment packaging, and it shows as blister 19.Blister is shown in detail in Fig. 3 a and 3b, and comprises the array of dose compartment 20, and blister identification label 21 with unique blister code.Blister 19 also can be horizontally and/or vertically divided, makes and can have patient tear off single dose compartment 20 or dose compartment group of sealing blister 19, for example, row or column, but still keeps sealing and has unique identification, makes it easier to take away the dose compartment of expression about to take in moment simultaneously.It should be noted that this multiple dose compartment packaging itself is a kind of invention, and also can be used for the prior art device of any other suitable type that is used for evaluation and/or packaging.

As best illustrated in FIG1 , tabletop 18 is XY-positionable in its plane so that the dose compartments 20 of multi-dose compartment blisters 19 are aligned with the corresponding discharge zones of discharge area 15 . Here, the dispensing zone corresponds to the outlet opening 22 of chute 16 . An example of XY-positioned belt rotation of the tabletop carrying multi-dose compartment blisters 19 is shown in FIG5 . Belt 33 is flexed around four corner axes 34 fixed at the corners of a rectangular frame, two sets of intermediate axes 35A and 35B linearly slidable in the X direction, and four corner axes 36 fixed at the corners of the rectangular frame 18. By driving the slidable fixed axes 35A away from each other and axis 35B toward each other, the tabletop can be moved in the Y+ direction, i.e., upward in the figure. Movement in the Y- direction can be achieved by driving axis 35A toward each other while axis 35B moves away from each other. By driving the slidable fixed axes 35A to slide in the X+ or X- direction and having axis 35B follow, the tabletop can be moved right or left in the figure. It is obvious that such a belt-driven XY tabletop positioning device 36 can also be advantageously used in any type of device, in particular for dispensing and/or testing pharmaceutical compounds.

In addition, the above-mentioned tabletop XY positioning can also carry trays such as intermediate trays, such as buffer trays, which may contain multiple compartments. The buffer tray can be configured to be filled with multi-dose compartment blisters 19. The buffer tray can first be filled from, for example, a machine 1 with medication, so that it can then be filled with multi-dose compartment blisters 19 all at once. Specifically, the buffer tray and blisters 19 can be aligned with each other so that the medication from the buffer tray falls into the blister compartments all at once. In this way, the blisters 19 can be continuously moved in the conveying direction under the buffer tray, and then when the blisters and buffer tray are aligned with each other, the blisters can be filled with medication. Advantageously, many more blisters can be filled with medication in a shorter time. In addition, the blisters can be indexed between, for example, a forming device that forms the blisters and a buffer tray that then fills the blisters. By correctly timing this process, no blisters are delayed in the conveying direction, and the filling of the blisters can be a continuous process.

Alternatively, it is also possible that the buffer tray comprises at least one row and/or column, in particular one row or column. The buffer tray can then be moved only in the same direction as the direction of transport of the blisters or transversely. In this way, the rows and/or columns of the buffer tray can be filled by the machine, so that the rows and/or columns of multi-dose compartment blisters can be filled by the machine at once via the buffer tray.

The device 1 also includes a disposal box 23 for containing the erroneous agent. The disposal box 23 is aligned with the outlet hole 22 to receive the agent when the table 18 is away from the discharge area 15 and to leave a passage between the outlet hole 22 and the box 23.

The device 1 further comprises a reading unit 24 for reading the blister code on the blister identification label 21. The device 1 further comprises a writing unit (not shown) for writing a code on the individual dose compartments 20 of the blister 19.

4 , a side view of the final three packaging steps of a multi-dose compartment blister pack is shown. The first step is shown with a blister 26 having a blister pack 19 at a blister filling station 27. The next step is shown with the filled blister pack 19 at a blister imaging station 28 and a full blister camera 29 for capturing an image of the completely filled blister pack 19. The final step is shown with the blister pack 19 at a blister sealing station 30 and a blister sealing station 31 for sealing the blister pack 19.

The machine 1 may have a separate packaging device, an integrated packaging device, or both. The packaging device may be configured to package individualized formulations of the pharmaceutical in a blister-type package as described above, or in another type of packaging, for example, a series of individual pouches. The packaging may be ready-made, but may also be formed in the packaging device, for example, from a series of plastic materials that are doubled and have transverse seals along their length to form individual compartments, each of which is filled with a pharmaceutical dose, closed, and sealed.

Referring to FIG6 , another type of packaging device 47 integrated with machine 1 is shown, which forms multiple dose compartments in blister packs 19. Packaging device 47 forms trays 48 from a continuous web of film 49 provided by a feed roll 37. Trays 48 are formed on a die 40 using a forming device 38, particularly a vacuum forming device, a thermoforming device, or a vacuum-assisted thermoforming device. During thermoforming, the film web 49 passing through forming device 38 is heated using a heater 39 positioned opposite die 40. By repeatedly using die 40 to form a tray 48, the number of compartments in each tray can be varied. Thus, the width and length of the formed trays 48 can be varied. Trays 48 are then fed along a dispensing area 22 by a conveyor 41, thereby filling compartments 20. FIG6 shows medication being dispensed from separate reservoirs of medication in dispenser 45 and transported to receiving area 2 of device 1 via chute 46. In this embodiment, dispensing area 22 is configured to selectively position subsequent dose compartments 20 to be filled with individualized compounded doses of the tested medication.

Conveyor 41 drives the film web 49 forward. After filling, trays 48 are sealed with sealing film 42 from a supply roll and marked with marking material 43 from a supply roll. The advancement of film web 49 drives the dispensing of sealing film 42 and marking material 43. Finally, cutter 44 cuts the filled, sealed, and marked trays 48 from film web 49 to form individual blister packs 19.

How to operate

The medications in the personalized compounding are generally pills, which may include tablets, capsules, caplets, gelatin capsules, liquid-core capsules, and soft capsules. These medications can be dispensed in an automated dispenser (not shown) according to the medication's personalized compounding record, selected from a plurality of mutually different medication reservoirs. Such reservoirs include multiple pill boxes, each containing multiple pills. The pill box includes a blade that can be activated once to release a pill into a chute directed to a receiving area. A typical dispenser is disclosed at www.tosho.cc, model Xana-4001U2. The medications can also be at least partially dispensed manually, for example, in a multi-dose compartment tray with a removable bottom. The medication can also contain a liquid, for example, in a medicine bottle, which can be manually added to the receiving area and/or the medication compartment. It should be noted that a series of personalized medications can also include medications containing only a single medication. For example, customized or special medications can be manually introduced into the medication compartment of a multi-dose compartment tray with a removable bottom. The machine 1 can have multiple such "manual" trays, which can be prepared separately and can, for example, have an ID, such as an RFID tag. The ID of this "manual tray" can then be read by the machine 1 to identify the medications intended for each compartment. The compartments can then be emptied individually through their movable bottoms, allowing the medications contained therein to be released into a receiving area through a chute to allow for drug testing. If necessary, the manually entered medications can then be combined with the automatically dispensed medications in an individualized medication compound.

In fact, at each moment in a series of subsequent ingestion moments, the medication is dispensed according to the patient's prescription record and falls into the dose buffer 2 of the machine 1. In the dose buffer 2, the pills are collected to form an individualized compounded dose of medication. After collection, the composition of each dose is individually evaluated and tested against the patient's prescription dose for that dose.

When the dose is collected in the buffer 2, the movable bottom 13 opens and forms a chute that transfers the dose to the transport container 5 located at the dose inspection position 3. The container 5 receives the dose through its open top and holds the pills on the glass plate 14. The movable bottom 13 closes again and the dose buffer 2 starts to collect new doses.

At the same time, the shaker 8 engages the container 5 to ensure that all the pills on the glass plate are positioned independently of each other and away from the walls of the container 5 .

The top camera 6 and the bottom camera each take a color picture of the pills in the dose. In addition, the top camera 6 takes a contrast picture against the light entering the container 5 through the glass bottom.

The composition of the individualized mixture of drugs contained in the container 5 is evaluated by automated recognition. The evaluation involves analyzing a picture to extract drug identification features, including, for example, size, shape, color, texture, and markings. The picture is compared with images stored in a database or library. This process is known per se and is disclosed, for example, in WO 02/25568 and WO 2005/017814. If the drugs have not separated from each other or from the walls of the container 5, the oscillator 8 is restarted. At the same time, the head 10 of the spectroscopic device 9 can also be positioned at the center of the pill by means of the arm 11, and the information in the picture can be used, for example, to eliminate problems in cases where the collected visual information is not sufficient to identify a specific pill or, for example, to prove that the pill is genuine and not a counterfeit.

After testing in the evaluation area, the container 5 slides along the glass plate 14 to the discharge position 12. Once again, the pills leave the "container 5" and fall through the hole 17 into the chute 16. After discharge, the container 5 can return to the dose testing position 3. In this embodiment, the test takes place before the individualized mixed doses are discharged to be packaged and packaged.

When the dose test is positive, the multi-dose compartment blister pack 19 of the packaging device is indexed and positioned with its dose compartment 20 to receive the individualized mixed dose of the discharged medicine. Before the transport container 5 arrives at the discharge position 12, the blister pack 19 is moved by the table 18 to the position of the selected dose compartment 20 corresponding to the outlet hole 22 of the chute 16 connected to the discharge area.

When a dose tests negative, the multi-dose compartment blister pack 19 actually indexes to the next compartment 2 , but the table 18 moves the blister 19 out of the way of the exit aperture 22 to the disposal bin 23 , and the dose falls into the bin 23 .

After the individualized compounded dose of the accepted and tested medication is discharged, the discharge area 15 can be inspected for any remaining medication using the drop removal camera 25. The digital photo taken by the discharge camera 15 after discharge is stored in the individualized compounded dose record of the medication along with the photo of the dose in the container 5 taken at the evaluation area 3.

For the individualized compounding of each medicine accepted, blister 19 actually indexes to another no-agent compartment 20. However, if the test result is negative, this dose compartment is skipped and remains open to accept the individualized compounding of medicine. If the test result is negative, in a subsequent collection step, multiple medicines that form the individualized compounding of medicine according to this record are accepted for the second time, and the multiple-dose compartment packaging is indexed to the skipped dose compartment to package the individualized compounding of medicine. In the case where the composition test of the dose accepted for the second time is positive, this indexing can occur again.

The packaging process can be continued by packaging the buffering agent of the correct composition in its allocated compartment, and thus a gap can be temporarily formed in the series of compartments packed with agents at the compartment corresponding to the agent of the wrong composition. When the agent of the correct composition for that package is discharged to be packaged, the gap can be filled later.

Each of the dose compartments 20 in the multi-dose compartment blister pack 19 is dedicated to a personalized compound of the medication specifically recorded therein. After the doses are discharged, each dose compartment has numbers and/or text printed on it by a printing unit. The numbers and/or text form a unique physical identification of the personalized compound of the medication in that compartment.

Prior to receiving the first dose, the multi-dose compartment blister pack 19 carried on the table 18 is read using the reading unit 24 to verify that it has the correct configuration of medication records to be received.

With reference to FIG4 , when all compartments 20 of a blister pack 19 are filled according to the record, the blister pack 19 is transported to a blister filling station 27 via a blister 26. Again, items that are not easily collected automatically, such as viscous medications and/or vials and syringes, can also be added manually. Next, a full blister camera 29 is used to take a picture of the full blister at a blister photo station 28. This picture is stored in the record along with the other pictures. Next, the blister pack 19 is moved to a blister sealing station 30 where it is sealed by a blister sealing station 31.

The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown herein. For example, the device may include multiple containers, for example, arranged on a rotating wheel. In addition, the device may include different packaging devices, for example, a device for carrying separate dosage compartments, or, for example, a sealable film device. Similarly, the machine may include one, two, or more auxiliary input tools through which the medication is fed into the receiving area or testing area. Such auxiliary input tools may supplement the main input tool formed by an automated dispenser, which includes multiple medication storage boxes. One or more auxiliary input tools may be embodied as a tray with multiple separate compartments in which the medication is manually placed, and a transfer tool, such as a movable bottom that engages a chute, to transfer the medication to the receiving or testing area. In such auxiliary input tools, a single medication or medication group can be placed in each compartment, and the medication in the receiving area or testing area can then be added to the single medication or medication group received from the automated dispenser to form a personalized dose of the medication to be tested. Alternatively, the auxiliary input tool can be used to manually combine the personalized dose of a compound medication. The manual input by the auxiliary input means can be operated according to a list showing which drugs are to be manually placed in the selected ones of the compartments according to the subsequent recording of the individualized compounding of drugs.

Such variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art and are considered to fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Reference numerals

1. Device

2. Receptor Area/Agent Buffer

3. Evaluation area/drug inspection location

4.Automated identification equipment

5. Container

6. Top camera

7. Lighting

8. Oscillator

9. Spectral device

10. Spectrum Head

11. Positioning arm

12. Discharge location

13. Live bottom

14. Glass Plate

15. Discharge area

16. Chute

17.Hole chute

18. Desktop

19.Multiple-compartment blister pack

20. Dosage compartment

21. Blister Identification Label

22. Distribution area/export hole

23. Processing box

24. Reading unit

25. Drop Clear Camera

26. Blister

27. Blister filling position

28. Blister imaging position

29.Full bubble camera

30. Blister sealing position

31. Sealing Station

33. Belt

34. Angle axis frame

35A.Slidable fixed shaft assembly

35B. Slidable fixed shaft assembly

36. Angle axis desktop

37. Pallet material roller

38.Thermal forming equipment

39. Heater

40. Die head

41. Teleporter

42.Sealing material roller

43.Marking material roll

44. Cutter

45. Distributor

46. Chute

47. Packaging equipment

48. Tray

49. Film width

Claims (24)

1. A method for accepting and testing personalized mixtures of drugs, comprising repeating the following steps - Accepts multiple doses of medication, which form personalized drug mixtures. -Evaluate the composition of personalized drug mixtures through automated identification of the received drugs. - To examine the composition of the individualized drug mixture received by reviewing the records of the individualized drug mixture composition, and - If the test result is positive, the individualized mixture of the received medication will be discharged for packaging in a multi-dose compartment, and - If the test result is negative, the individualized mixture of the received medication will be discharged without being packaged in a multi-dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment, wherein for each individualized mixture of the received medication, the multi-dose compartment is actually indexed and/or physically indexed to another dose-free compartment, or If the test result is negative, the dose compartment is skipped and remains open to receive the individualized drug mixture, a second acceptance of multiple drugs forming the individualized drug mixture according to the record, and the multi-dose compartment packaging is indexed to the skipped dose compartment to package the individualized drug mixture. 2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the multi-dose compartment package is indexed by a dosage compartment to receive the individualized mixture of drugs discharged. 3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the individualized mixture of the previously received drugs is evaluated and/or tested simultaneously with the individualized mixture of subsequent drugs. 4. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, after acceptance in the acceptance area, the individualized mixture of the accepted drug is moved to a separate evaluation area for testing. 5. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the individualized mixture of the accepted and tested drugs is discharged, while the individualized mixture of subsequently accepted drugs is evaluated and/or tested. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, after testing in the testing area, the individualized mixture of the accepted and tested drugs moves to a separate discharge area for discharge. 7. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, after the individualized mixture of the accepted and tested drugs is discharged, any remaining drugs in the discharge area are inspected. 8. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the dosage compartments in the multi-dose compartment package are dedicated to individualized formulations of the drug according to the record. 9. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the compartment has a unique identifier for the individualized mixture of drugs in or used in the compartment. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dosage compartments in the multi-dose compartment package are closed only after the individualized mixture of drugs for use in the package has been packaged. 11. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the composition of the individualized compound of the drug contained in the packaged compartment is evaluated by automatically identifying the drug contained in the compartment, and the composition of the individualized compound of the drug for the compartment is recorded and verified. 12. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the repeating step comprises a first step of automatically dispensing the drug from a selected reservoir of a plurality of mutually different drug reservoirs according to a record of individualized drug mixtures. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the repeating step comprises a first step of manually dispensing mutually different drug alternatives according to a record of individualized drug mixtures. 14. An apparatus configured to accept and test a personalized mixture of drugs according to any one of claims 1-13. 15. An apparatus for receiving and testing personalized drug mixtures, comprising: - Acceptance regions for receiving multiple doses of medication, which form personalized drug mixtures. - An evaluation area equipped with an automated identification device for evaluating the composition of individual drug formulations through automated identification of the received drugs. - A computer, which examines the composition of the received personalized drug mixture against a record of the drug mixture's composition, and - An ejector, if the test result is positive, ejects the individualized mixture of the received medication packaged in a multi-dose compartment, and If the test result is negative, the individualized mixture of the received medication is discharged without being packaged in the multi-dose compartment of the multi-dose compartment packaging, wherein the device is configured such that, for each individualized mixture of the received medication, the multi-dose compartment packaging is physically indexed and/or indexed to another dose-free compartment, or If the test result is negative, the dosage compartment is skipped and remains open to receive the personalized drug mixture. The device is configured to, upon receiving multiple drugs in a second batch of personalized drug mixtures formed according to the record, index the multi-dose compartment packaging to the skipped dosage compartment to package the personalized drug mixture. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured to index the multi-dose compartment packaged to receive the dispensing individualized mixture of drugs using a dosing compartment. 17. The apparatus of claim 15 or 16, wherein the receiving region is a buffer zone physically separated from the evaluation region. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of transport containers configured to receive the agent from the agent buffer and confine it within the container during transport. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the transport container is configured to transport the agent from the evaluation area to the discharge area. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the transport container is configured to be indexable. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the container is slidably placed on a hard base plate, specifically comprising a glass plate. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the discharge area comprises a groove connected to a hole in the base plate. 23. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a tabletop for transporting a multi-compartment package, the tabletop being positionable on its plane to align the compartments of the multi-compartment package with a dispensing area corresponding to a discharge region. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a reading unit for reading codes on the multi-dose compartment package carried on the desktop.