Drug Topics - October 8, 2007 - (Page 48)

48 DRUG TOPICS OCTOBER 8, 2007 www.drugtopics.com TECHNOLOGY UPDATE Reid Paul Reading between the RFID lines s California’s e-pedigree requirements draw ever ten to a message and transcribe. The system can also nearer, drug companies are scrambling to figure send an e-mail confirmation to the prescribing doctor out how to meet the requirements. Backers have to ensure accuracy. To find out more about SpeechRx, long touted the advantages of radio frequency identifi- contact TeleManager at www.telemanager.com. cation technology. In one typical report, Micoh, a comIn other related news, Alaska has finally cleared the pany that secures RFID tags, reported that 95% of re- way to accept e-prescriptions, following on the heels of spondents to a survey it conducted identified RFID as Georgia, South Carolina, Washington D.C., and West the ideal solution to protect pharmaceutical integrity. Virginia. Now pharmacies in all 50 states and the DisStill, according to a report from The Times of London, trict of Columbia can accept e-prescriptions. “This is a GlaxoSmithKline, which had been one of the leading significant milestone as momentum continues to grow proponents of RFID, is reconsidering its nationwide for electronic prescribing,” said Bruce plans to expand the use of RFID tags to Roberts, R.Ph., National Community Pharmacombat counterfeiting. “The question is cists Association CEO. whether it is a valid technology,” a GSK spokesman told the Times. “Is it a technolA bigger tool belt ogy that could be applied to a significant Pharmacists delivering medication therapy manpart of the business?” Another spokesman agement through the Community Care Rx prolater said that the company was still testing gram will have a few more tools in their belt. RFID and had not given up on the techMirixa recently announced the release of a new nology. GSK has begun to include RFID version of its MirixaPro product suite with new tags for Trizivir (abacavir/lamivudine/ clinical care management tools for pharmacyzidovudine), an HIV drug. based delivery of patient care services. Now qualifyWith or without RFID, e-pedigree initiaing patient cases are delivered directly and tives still appear to be moving forward. Blu GlaxoSmithKline has securely to the pharmacist. MirixaPro’s Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer recently adopt- added RFID tags to workflow system can now support delivTrizivir to prevent ed SupplyScape’s E-Pedigree data manage- counterfeiting. ery of multiple interventions through its ment solution, and IBM has introduced its Web portal. For more information, visit own data management tool. Pfizer reported to the Cal- www.mirixa.com. ifornia Board of Pharmacy in June that it had 75 employees and additional outside consultants devoted to Increasing access to smart solutions its serialization effort, which it termed “complex and Sometimes it’s not enough to build a better mousetrap; costly.” How much of a role RFID will play remains to after all you have to market it too. Recently, a number be seen. of companies have taken new steps to increase the market awareness of pharmacy technologies. InforMedix, Speaking of e-prescribing for example, recently began to offer its Med-eMonitor One new technology promises to encourage doctors smart pillbox on-line to consumers at its Web site. The to begin e-prescribing by not changing at all. A unit monitors medication use and reports missed medpharmacy in New Jersey is testing SpeechRx, a new ication dosages or declining health to caregivers in an e-prescription system from TeleManager that allows effort to improve adherence. Similarly, Automated doctors to continue to call in their prescriptions as Medical Systems announced that it had licensed a they always have. However, instead of leaving a mes- computerized unit-dose medication dispensing cart sage that pharmacists or techs have to enter into the from inventor Todd Barrett. The cart is designed to computer, SpeechRx does it automatically. The system help nurses dispense prepackaged unit-dose medicaprompts prescribers to provide the prescription infor- tions and to store medical information about patients. mation and translates the message into an electronic The cart also can detect and record when medications prescription, eliminating the need for someone to lis- are taken. DT A http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.telemanager.com http://www.mirixa.com

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Drug Topics - October 8, 2007 Latebreakers Latebreakers in Depth Letters Rx Care Community Practice JP at Large 150 Years of American Pharmacy Hospital Practice Are You Getting Pharmacy's Message Across? Self-Care Government and Law Legal Q&A The Pharmacist as First Responder in Disaster Relief Technology Update New Products Advertisers Index Statement of Ownership Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - October 8, 2007

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