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 compounding robot to produce cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients.

 

As part of the evolving robotic programme in the hospital, this new initiative has the potential to 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 using a highly manual process carried out in pharmacy departments. Overseen by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, it is physically intensive, involving measurement of doses, reconstitution of commercially sourced drugs and dilution into patient specific doses.

 

Therefore, there is a risk of human error and a need for 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.  

 

The Aseptic Compounding Unit at St James’s Hospital is the busiest in the country, producing 30,000 products annually. With cancer levels rising alongside a growing and ageing population, this demand will rise in coming years. Funds for the new robot were raised by the St James’s Hospital Foundation.