Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Is it safe for the Pyxis automated dispensing devices to dispense penicillin and penicillin-related products?

Although perhaps less than 3% of the population, there are people who exhibit hypersensitivity to penicillins. Robotic dispensing devices such as Pyxis creates dust particles from the tablets it counts during the dispensing process. Minuscule amounts of penicillin particles present within the Pyxis unit may contaminate other drugs, potentially ending up in a penicillin-hypersensitive patient's order. Can a penicillin-hypersensitive patient get an allergic reaction to the minuscule dust particles, and would in some rare cases be catastrophic (resulting in anaphylaxis, coma, or death)? Pls. elaborate.

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