LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 2018 (BSS/XINHUA) – Two Chinese automated robotic
models were exhibited at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
(ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition, which concluded Thursday at
the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
The two IV drug compounding robots, designed and produced by Weibond
Technology, complete the compounding of IV drugs and antibiotics in a minute,
which have not only raised the accuracy and efficiency of compounding, but
also reduced risks of IV drugs harming pharmacists.
Operational demonstrations were conducted on site to over 25,000 pharmacy
professionals from all over the globe, who participated in the annual
gathering held from Sunday to Thursday.
Liu Baochun, CEO of Weibond Technology, told Xinhua the research and
development of the robot started in 2009, and went into operation first in
Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University in 2016.
Its processing of ampoule is the first in the world, and the technology
has independent intellectual property rights, Liu said.
Mike Storey, a pharmacist at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in
Columbus in the U.S. state of Ohio, was among those showing great interest in
the Chinese robot.
He told Xinhua artificial intelligence application in medical treatment
will be the future trend. His hospital has not been equipped with a
compounding robot yet, and he was very interested in the Chinese technology.
Storey said there are strict criteria for a medical center to operate such
a robot in terms of space and closed environment. He hoped to discuss
cooperation with Chinese partners in this regard.
According to ASHP, Weibond is the first and only exhibitor from China to
participate in ASHP meeting and exhibition over the past four decades.
The ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition is the largest gathering
of pharmacists in the world. A total of 373 exhibitors worldwide joined the
exhibition, sharing technology and other products that are designed to aid
pharmacists offering high-level patient care in hospitals and health-system
settings.
About 170 education sessions were held during the annual meeting, covering
almost 30 healthcare-related topics.