Pharmacists in the UK could soon see robots helping them with tasks like applying printed labels to drugs, after news emerged of a successful trial in the US.

The Norland Avenue Pharmacy in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania recently brought in the SP 200 Robotic Prescription Dispensing System for use in its store, Public Opinion reports.

Once a prescription is received from a doctor, the robot is able to read it and determine which container is needed.

It then locates the relevant drug via a barcode, counts out the number of pills needed and fills the vial before placing it on a conveyor belt that leads into the front of the pharmacy.

A human pharmacist then performs a final check on the prescription to ensure no mistakes have been made before dispensing it to the patient.

Staff said the trial has been a success because they have more time to counsel the public.

Pharmacists in the UK may be interested to see if this technology makes its way across the pond, as it was found last month that the number of items dispensed with pharmaceutical labels as prescriptions has increased by nearly 70 per cent in the last ten years.

Denny Bros Ltd, 03 August 2011