Grifols’ oncology treatment robot arrives at St James Hospital
Regner® Editorial Team
Aiguaviva -
22/08/2024
Oncology treatment robot arrives at St James's Hospital
Kiro Grifols’ automated solution for the preparation of oncology treatments in its Kiro Oncology division, already implemented in the United States, has arrived at Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute in Dublin to produce chemotherapy drugs, thus revolutionizing the normal operation of this hospital and, above all, cancer treatment.
Chemotherapy, traditionally a manual and physically intense procedure, often results in strain injuries to the professionals in the field due to the intensity of the production. These automated systems not only increase accuracy and safety, but also reduce the physical burden on medical staff.
Kiro Oncology and its automated solution
Kiro Oncology markets its automated chemotherapy drug preparation system worldwide. In the United States, this innovative device has been implemented due to the high demand for advanced technologies in the field of oncology, offering solutions that improve accuracy and safety in the preparation of treatments.
Kiro Oncology’s system handles a wide variety of vials and final containers, allowing the preparation of specific doses and small batches for each patient, using both liquid and lyophilized drugs.
This system is based on automated flow control of medications, using bar code readers and cameras to verify the identity of medications and containers, reducing the risk of human error and ensuring full traceability of each dose prepared.
The automation includes a gravimetric system that verifies the weight of the drugs at all stages of the compounding process, ensuring accurate dosing and improving patient safety.
Trinity St James' Hospital's newest addition
Trinity St James’ Cancer Institute in Dublin has become the first hospital in England and Ireland to incorporate the Kiro Grifols system for producing chemotherapy drugs. This robot starts with the production of thirteen cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs and is expected to reach 50% of drugs, greatly benefiting the pharmacist team by protecting them from common strain injuries and exposure to hazardous drugs.
The integration of this system also benefits patients, allowing them to quickly customize their doses and eliminating the human error present in manual preparation. The first patient to receive this treatment at the center has confirmed that she has noticed no difference between the traditional method and the new automated system.
Dosing systems in drug production
Automated dosing systems use linear actuators to regulate the flow of medication with high precision. These mini actuators, such as those produced by REGNER, convert the rotary motion of a motor into linear motion, allowing precise control of the displacement of components in the dosing system. The mini linear actuators adjust the valves to control the flow and allow fine adjustments of volumes, ensuring accurate dosing of medications.
The automation provided by these actuators reduces the risk of human error and improves consistency in dosage preparation. REGNER is an expert in linear actuators and microactuators that stand out for their reliability, being ideal for integration into automated control systems and dosing management software. In the healthcare field, especially in the preparation of critical treatments, the accuracy and durability of these actuators are essential to ensure the safety and efficacy of drug delivery.
Experience and commitment to innovation is what drives the company to this type of integrations, with a long history in medical devices, the design and production of mini linear actuators to regulate dosing systems becomes a natural extension of our expertise, allowing us to offer accurate and reliable solutions that improve the performance and efficiency of medical systems.
