Science is growing; without limits. The world is changing; getting smarter. And new technologies are taking birth; doing wonders. Like a genie, who turns things real when asked, science makes things real that existed only in the imagination. The origin of AI, AR and Robotics has opened up new technologies with infinite possibilities. Also, the spread of COVID-19 and other influenza has encouraged new and secure lifestyles. The time is not far away when a smart brush diagnoses the early symptoms of a mouth infection and the report would be sent to the nearby medical lab. No need to wonder about such a smart toothbrush. Because, there are smartwatches available today in the market that can detect pressure, sugar and even oxygen saturation levels. In this article, we go through how the future of pharmacy is predicted and also the current trends & the precise technological advancements that have affected the pharmaceutical industry.
Current Trends and Innovations in Life Science
The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the idea of self-service pharmacies. The pharmaceutical industry has already switched to online. People can buy medicine at home by comparing the brand and price with a few simple clicks. The self-service pharmacy would be technologically more advanced in the future. Building on the strengths of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and insights obtained from interoperable data, clinical and technological advancements are occurring at an all-time high.
The innovations and studies that happening in life science are:
- Studies are ongoing on the possibilities of using the gut microbiome to generate food as a medicinal approach to bring glucose levels under control and enhance general health.
- Research is happening in developing smart mirrors that monitor health variations by making use of advanced cameras & human breath.
- Smartphones are evolving as a type of home health diagnostic tool to detect urinary tract infections or diabetic eye disease.
- A large number of robotics companies and startups are developing and trying out home healthcare bots that can fulfil basic needs.
- Ingestible origami robots have been produced by labs in order to heal wound.
The future of pharmacy will be drastically different when these advancements are coupled with the expanding influence of customers who are concerned with their well-being. pharmacy companies and pharmacists are tense as a result of these dynamics even though they are planning and investing for the future.
The Future of Pharmacy
Self-serve pharmacies are more likely to develop even more cutting-edge technology in the future. A QR code might easily be created from the prescription. When it goes to the associated pharmacy, it might experience fully automated processes like reading the QR code and dispensing medication using cutting-edge machinery. As a result, the packaging of the drug will be finished considerably more quickly. Today’s retail pharmacists are highly skilled, well-respected health care providers who spend an excessive amount of time counting pills and handling clinical edits. AI robots can perform all of these activities, allowing pharmacists to better utilize their time while keeping the patient’s needs first. Many patients are not aware that pharmacists are able to consult just as well as a doctor would for uncomplicated medical ailments and chronic conditions. Pharmacists can spend more time developing connections with their patients and providing tailored medical advice by automating a lot of the administrative labour and other tedious duties.
Looking into the future, we can see how drastically different the pharmacy sector will be from what it is today:
- Enormous amounts of data sets can be linked through devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), quantum computing and algorithms stored in the cloud, which may lead to instant diagnosis and understanding that become a part of our everyday lives and can be shared among health care providers.
- Clinical research-accelerated digital medicines, nutraceuticals, implants, gene editing, and programmable microorganisms would take the place of treatments that are centered on chemical and biological remedies.
- Retail pharmacies might be transformed into integrated healthcare destinations with product dispensation altered by 3D printing, telemedicine, kiosks and same-day delivery by driverless automobiles, drones and automated robots.
The Future of Pharmacists
The future of pharmacy might be involved in the competition between human expertise and technological advancements. Pharmacists might simply get everything through messages over a related computer system or app, where the patient’s medical history is already noted, rather than obtaining a prescription and then calling the doctor to check in with them. This shortens the procedure considerably and makes it more efficient. By delivering high-quality service in a short amount of time, robotic automation can help the healthcare system. Instead of standing and counting each and every tablet, the pharmacist can spend their time better advising medical professionals or talking to patients. Robots will assist pharmacists in monitoring which drugs are running low and require reordering. Whether a patient chooses to use a telehealth pharmacy service or visits a physical drugstore, pharmacists will be accessible to counsel, consult, and listen to the patient. Digital therapeutics are anticipated to be used in conjunction with more conventional pharmaceutical treatments as medicine becomes increasingly digital. Digital treatments are sometimes divided into three categories: physiological, drug-specific, and behaviour-changing. They may replace more traditional forms of care as patients’ first choice while also serving as a valuable complement to them. Pharmacists will be capable of advising patients on which digital product is suitable for their condition.
Technology advancements can significantly assist pharmacists in order to extend their capabilities to health consultants or health experts instead of counting pills and distributing them. New technologies will continue to influence our lives, and when it comes to healthcare, they can have a significant positive impact on doctors, pharmacists as well as patients turning the sector more efficient overall. It will be fascinating to observe how the new AI-powered robots and software will upend the established order and gradually make it better, one robot at a time.
