Ultraviolet Sanitization in Pharmacy Environments
First Claim
1. A system to automate medical compounding, the system comprising:
- a compounding chamber;
an air handling system arranged to provide air flow through the compounding chamber, the air handling system being arranged to produce a substantially uniform airflow from a ceiling of the compounding chamber toward a floor of the compounding chamber to inhibit contamination of medical containers;
an automated system to transport medical containers amongst a plurality of positions within the chamber;
a recognition system to identify medical containers using one or more verification operations;
a compounding system disposed in the chamber to transfer medicaments between medical containers; and
a sanitization system to substantially reduce bioactivity on at least a first portion of a first fluid transfer port of a first form of a first medical container, the sanitization system comprising;
a first radiation source to supply a dose of radiation, andan actuator to bring at least the first portion of the first fluid transfer port into optical communication with the first radiation source.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods to reduce bioburden on at least a portion of a fluid transfer port include supplying a dose of radiation to the portion in optical communication with at least one source of radiation. In an illustrative example, a medical container, such as a vial or IV bag, receives a dose of ultraviolet (UV) energy substantially at a predetermined region of a fluid transfer site. In some examples, such a sanitization process may precede a fluid transfer operation in which a fluid is transferred into or out of the medical container by passing through the sanitized region. Such fluid transfers may be used in automated or semi-automated pharmaceutical processes, such as drug reconstitution. Various embodiments may further include one or more seal assemblies, each seal assembly having an aperture through which the radiation dose is supplied from the source to a controlled region on the fluid transfer port.
22 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system to automate medical compounding, the system comprising:
-
a compounding chamber; an air handling system arranged to provide air flow through the compounding chamber, the air handling system being arranged to produce a substantially uniform airflow from a ceiling of the compounding chamber toward a floor of the compounding chamber to inhibit contamination of medical containers; an automated system to transport medical containers amongst a plurality of positions within the chamber; a recognition system to identify medical containers using one or more verification operations; a compounding system disposed in the chamber to transfer medicaments between medical containers; and a sanitization system to substantially reduce bioactivity on at least a first portion of a first fluid transfer port of a first form of a first medical container, the sanitization system comprising; a first radiation source to supply a dose of radiation, and an actuator to bring at least the first portion of the first fluid transfer port into optical communication with the first radiation source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A sanitization system in an automated pharmaceutical compounding system to substantially sanitize at least a portion of a first fluid transfer port of a first form of medical container and at least a portion of a second fluid transfer port of a second form of medical container, wherein the second form of medical container has a particular size, type, or shape substantially different from the first form of medical container, the sanitization system comprising:
-
a first UV source to supply a dose of radiation; a processor to determine a profile of UV output corresponding to a third fluid transfer port to be sanitized, wherein the third fluid transfer port is part of a third medical container, the third medical container having one of the first form and the second form, the profile of UV output is based in part on at least one of a size, type, or shape of the third medical container, and the profile of UV output includes at least one of a waveform, an amplitude, a time, and a pulse repetition number; and a first exposure orifice to supply radiation to the third fluid transfer port, wherein the processor configures the sanitization system to apply radiation through the first exposure orifice according to the profile of UV output. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A robotic automated pharmaceutical processing system comprising:
-
a processor-based interface configured to receive requests to prepare one or more pharmaceutical prescriptions; and a controller coupled to the interface and configured to operate an automated prescription preparation device in response to the received requests, the automated prescription preparation device comprising; a scale station to verify a weight of a filled medical container, a fluid transfer station for performing a fluid transfer operation, and a sanitization station including a first radiation source to supply a dose of radiation, wherein the controller changes the configuration of the sanitization station to apply radiation to a first fluid transfer port of a first medical container based upon one or more parameters associated with the first medical container, and a robotic manipulator configured to convey the first medical container to the sanitization station for sanitizing, and convey the first medical container to the fluid transfer station for filling. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification