AI Unleashed in Pharmacy: Current Use and Regulatory Trends

In the article “AI Unleashed in Pharmacy: Current Use and Regulatory Trends” written for Innovations, the trade magazine for the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Nisha Quasba, Reeya Thakrar and Michelle Paninopoulos gave an overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry. 

The authors provided a summary of how AI is already working in pharmacies across the country, complementing human skills like verifying prescriptions (a traditionally time consuming task for staff) to minimize errors in dispensing medication. They also note how AI can play a role in preventing drug diversion, noting that many pharmacists use anomaly detection tools in identifying suspicious activities within pharmacies.

Further, the authors discussed how the federal government and states are addressing and regulating the use of AI in pharmacies. For instance, a 2023 executive order titled “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,” set forth new standards aimed at enhancing AI safety and security, including in pharmacies. States in particular are examining ways to protect the use of AI in insurance decisions.