Cutting-edge tech sees St James’s get first robot to dish out chemotherapy doses for patients
The Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute at St James’s Hospital in Dublin has become the first hospital in the UK or Ireland to introduce a robot to produce cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients. As part of the evolving robotic programme in the hospital, this new initiative means it can supply chemotherapy products more efficiently and safely, increasing productivity and leading to a better experience for cancer patients at the hospital.
Chemotherapy is traditionally produced in the hospital pharmacy overseen by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and involving measurement of doses, reconstitution of commercially sourced drugs and dilution into patient specific doses. Due to the risk of human error, it needs high levels of quality assurances and verifications. Staff globally often report repetitive strain injuries due to the labour intensity of production, as well as burnout.
There are over 30,000 doses created each year and demand is expected to rise in coming years along with our ageing population.
Funds for the new robot were raised by the hospital foundation and Gail Melanophy, Director of Pharmacy says the introduction is a major step forward for staff and patients.
‘ We aim to produce up to 50 percent of the oncology/haematology day ward’s chemotherapy needs within weeks of introduction and we hope this will significantly increase when at full capacity, including inpatient needs. This will free up time for our pharmacists to produce other products that the robot does not make and ensure that our valued patients never have to wait for their treatments.’
Liz Hogan from Ratoath, County Meath was the first person to receive a robotic customsied dose of chemotherapy during her treatment for cervical cancer.
‘I noticed no difference at all when I received my dose of chemotherapy at St James’s Hospital,’ she said, adding that she was reassured by the staff at St James’s.
Thirteen of the most commonly used cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs used at St James’s Hospital have been initially selected to be produced by the robot. Trials at the hospital have demonstrated that the advance preparation of the drugs is readily achievable, meaning they are available in the clinics when patients arrive for their sessions.
For the pharmacy staff, the use of the robot protects them from repetitive strain injuries commonly associated with this type of manual process, as well as from exposure to hazardous drugs used in the compounding of chemotherapy.
The robot can store partially used drugs for use in the production of subsequent doses, which optimises the use of drugs for chemotherapy that are normally expensive.