Improving the Concept of Medication Vending Machine

in the Light of COVID-19 and other Pandemics

1,2,3,4
Student, Department of Electronics Engineering, Matoshri College of Engineering & Research Centre, Nashik, INDIA
5
Professor, Department of Electronics Engineering, Matoshri College of Engineering & Research Centre, Nashik, INDIA

Abstract- Pandemics are usually followed by maintenance of vending machines. In 1893,

many infected people, enormous number of Stollwerck, a German chocolate manufacturer,
critical patients and unavoidable fatal outcomes. was selling its chocolate in 15,000 vending
If the disease is transmitted by contact, one of the machines. It set up separate companies in
most important measures for preventing the
various territories to manufacture vending
spread of the disease is social distancing. Ensuring
social distancing is one of the most difficult tasks
machines to sell not just chocolate, but
of the governments of countries during the cigarettes, matches, chewing gum and soap
pandemic. It has been shown in practice that any products [2].
measure or way to increase social distance A very interesting real-life story in COVID-
significantly reduces the number of victims and 19 times comes from Vancouver [6]. The opioid
shortens the duration of the pandemic. This epidemic, which caused the declaration of public
system proposes a modification of the existing health emergency in Vancouver four years ago,
concept of a vending machine for distributing is made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is
drugs (medication vending machines – MVM), a crisis on top of a crisis. The usual harm-
which would enable better social distancing in the reduction approach, a designated location where
case of pandemics/epidemics, such as the current
drugs can be taken with oversight by first aid-
COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed modification
is adapted to the healthcare system organization trained staff, is problematic. Such sites
that exists in the European countries and can be constitute a public gathering place and have
implemented in similar health care systems, such been closed to avoid public gatherings. The
as in the neighboring countries. illegal drug supply is getting more expensive
and less predictable. Overdose deaths still
Keywords: Medication vending machine, COVID- happen often. MySafe, Dispension Industries’
19, Pandemic, Social distancing, Smart city. opioid-dispensing ATM, debuted in Vancouver
in December 2019 as part of Tyndall’s plan to
I. INTRODUCTION replace risky street drugs with safe,
Vending machines are widely used in many pharmaceutical-grade opioids and reduce the
domains around the world, such as a vending staggering rate of overdoses. About a dozen
machine for food, drinks, cigarettes, patients use the machine. All report an improved
newspapers, etc. They started a long time ago. quality of life and less involvement in the
The first vending machine was the coin-operated dangerous street activities that used to pay for
machine for holy water dispensing constructed their habit.
in 17th century by Hero of Alexandria, Greek Previously described cases showed that MVM
mathematician, and engineer from Alexandria. can have a very good perspective and there are a
The first modern coin-operated vending set of reasons to use them. But it is the fact that
machines were introduced in London, England today’s potential of MVM is not well exploited.
in the early 1880s, dispensing postcards. The There are several reasons. Some of them will be
machine was invented by Percival Everitt in discussed in the next chapter. It is quite clear
1883 and soon became a widespread feature at that for the expansion of MVM use some
railway stations and post offices, dispensing concepts of MVM should be changed and
envelopes, postcards, and notepaper. The adapted to a concrete scenario of use. One
Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Company was modification we proposed in this paper inspired
founded in 1887 in England as the first company by the actual COVID-19 pandemic and effort of
to deal primarily with the installation and all countries to reduce virus SARS-CoV-2 [7]
expansion by providing better social distancing One modification we proposed in this paper
as one of the most efficient activities in the inspired by the actual COVID-19 pandemic and
suppression of the spread of an epidemic. effort of all countries to reduce virus SARS-
CoV-2 [7] expansion by providing better social
II. LITERATURE REVIEW distancing as one of the most efficient activities
Ratna Mayasari; Renaldi Permana Putra; [10] in the suppression of the spread of an epidemic.
present a system that tested and evaluated the
IoT connectivity using LoRaWAN for a vending There are many obstacles and open-ended issues
machine network. The tested connectivity range that have prevented the mass use of medication
are 0, 200, 400, and 600 meters and we did not vending machines. Some of them are universal
take varying condition of any varying weather while some are specific to some country or
condition. The performance of Time on-air, region, for example different law regulations.
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), We will number some of them. It is the fact that
Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), and Throughput the number of medications is huge and that it is
are 1.84 seconds, 87%, -87.75 dBm, and 374.59 not possible to make it available through the
bit/s, respectively. vending machines. So, medication vending
machines can be used for a restricted number of
A very interesting real-life story in COVID-19 medications. In many cases patients ask a
times comes from Vancouver [6]. The opioid pharmacist for some explanation therefore, a
epidemic, which caused the declaration of public simple MVM cannot cover these cases and
health emergency in Vancouver four years ago, patients should request assistance directly at the
is made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is pharmacy, where the staff is available, instead of
a crisis on top of a crisis. The usual harm- using MVM. There are different models of
reduction approach, a designated location where paying for medications. It differs from country
drugs can be taken with oversight by first aid- to country. For example, in the Republic of
trained staff, is problematic. Such sites Serbia for a huge number of medications
constitute a public gathering place and have patients should pay only part of price or nothing,
been closed in order to avoid public gatherings. while for others they should pay full price.
The illegal drug supply is getting more Therefore, MVM should support different
expensive and less predictable. Overdose deaths pricing/paying models. For most medications,
still happen often. MySafe, Dispension patients must have an adequate prescription. So,
Industries’ opioid-dispensing ATM, debuted in MVM should be able to “read” prescriptions and
Vancouver in December 2019 as part of verify a patient’s request. Of course, there are
Tyndall’s plan to replace risky street drugs with other practical open questions: where to install
safe, pharmaceutical-grade opioids and reduce MVM (near a pharmacy or not), the capacity of
the staggering rate of overdoses. About a dozen MVM, security (especially if there are
patients use the machine. All report an improved narcotics), how and when to add new
quality of life and less involvement in the medications in a machine, etc.
dangerous street activities that used to pay for
their habit. III. PROPOSED ARCHITECTURE

Previously described cases showed that MVM

can have a very good perspective and there are a
set of reasons to use them. But it is the fact that
today’s potential of MVM is not well exploited.
There are several reasons. Some of them will be
discussed in the next chapter. It is quite clear
that for the expansion of MVM use some
concepts of MVM should be changed and
adapted to a concrete scenario of use.
Figure 1 System Architecture
This system proposes a modification of the older adults who may be at increased risk for
existing concept of a vending machine for adverse effects from medications? Many such
distributing drugs (medication vending machines questions remain unanswered. Nonetheless, as
– MVM), which would enable better social pharmacists looking to our future, we must
distancing in the case of pandemics/epidemics, consider quality services that hold value to our
such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. The patients and other health professionals. As
proposed modification is adapted to the technology is sure to evolve, pharmacists must
healthcare system organization that exists in the look toward quality improvement in patient care
European countries and can be implemented in services and provide due expertise in medication
similar health care systems, such as in the management, so such technology becomes
neighboring countries. integrated as a fundamental way of pharmacy
practice, regardless of setting. In this changing
In proposed aquaponics there are 2 modules
culture of health care and technology, now is an
namely 1) coin-acceptor, microcontroller, and
opportune time for pharmacists to drive the
dispenser motor 2) cloud and application. The
expectations of patients and other health
first module has three functions out of which the
professionals about the value of pharmacist
first one includes accept coin from user, verify
services within the patient care continuum.
amount and dispense the product i.e., sanitizer
dispenser, face mask. The second module use for V. REFERENCES
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