2023年5月15日

一个公司希望今年在新加坡推出50分配器SmartRx,开发公司的机器,安装了五到目前为止,包括分配医学需要医生的处方。自动售货机,将非处方药品和急救物品在实龙岗北前行大街536块4。(照片:SmartRx)新加坡:在自动售货机是一种常见的景象HDB空白甲板、一块实龙岗北前行大街536号4略不同于其他人。那里通常饮料或小吃,这个自动售货机分配药物扑热息痛和氢化可的松乳膏等急救物品。去年6月,安装自动售货机——这是由它的开发者共同推出SmartRx和必需品药店——服务于周边地区的居民,提供温和的药物和成人和儿童的常见疾病。当CNA检查出来上周二(5月9日),有近70个不同类型的药品上市其数字目录,其中两个已经卖完了——含片和药片减轻腹泻。所有的药品都非处方药,这意味着他们不需要医生的处方。机器有近70个不同类型的药品从感冒和流感救援医疗药膏。(照片:CNA /凡妮莎Lim)价格与其他零售药店如屈臣氏和监护人。在某些情况下,自动售货机的产品略低。 For instance, a box of 12 Panadol Cold Relief caplets was priced at S$10.60 (US$7.90). This is cheaper than Guardian, which carries the same product at S$11. While this reporter did not see anyone using the vending machine when she was there, Essentials Pharmacy’s general manager Simone Tan said there are five to 10 transactions a day on average. This increases during flu season, she said, adding that the machine is restocked one to two times a week. Besides dispensing medicines round the clock, the machine is also equipped with a teleconsultation feature for users to consult pharmacists, and get information on which medicine to purchase and how to use it correctly. However, this feature is temporarily unavailable due to manpower constraints, the company said. SmartRx, the developer of the machines, told CNA it plans to roll out 50 units by the end of the year, with some to be installed in locations such as supermarkets, petrol stations and ActiveSG centres. So far, it has installed five vending machines across Singapore for different purposes. For instance, at Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution's headquarters in Toa Payoh, the vending machine dispenses traditional Chinese medicines. Another at the National Dental Centre Singapore offers dental-related products such as toothbrushes, dental floss and mouthwash. In March, the company partnered healthcare group Minmed to launch a telemedicine clinic at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) that is equipped with a dispensing machine where users can collect prescribed drugs. A telemedicine clinic at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. Users can teleconsult doctors in a private pod and get prescription drugs from the vending machine. (Photo: SmartRx) PREVENTING ABUSE According to the Health Sciences Authority, vending machines that supply General Sale List medicines – those that do not require a prescription – do not need a licence. As for those that dispense drugs that require a prescription or can only be obtained through a pharmacist or licensed retail pharmacy, these are subjected to licensing. SmartRx’s managing director Tong Ping Heng said its vending machines only dispense prescription drugs after users have consulted a doctor. For instance, the telemedicine clinic at SUTD comes with a private pod that can measure patients’ vitals. Patients will only receive a prescription after they undergo a remote consultation with a Minmed doctor via its app. To prevent abuse, SmartRx's system also stores information on what users have been prescribed and the type of drugs purchased. “From there, you can know if this person is a habitual purchaser of – for instance – cough syrup with codeine,” he said. “A lot of this depends on the pharmacist and the doctor in their consultation but from our back-end, we can support them by (sharing the user’s) purchase history," Mr Tong said. “We hope that if we can build (and install) more vending machines like what we see with ATMs, we can make it more convenient and reduce the crowding in pharmacies.” Related: