Lakeridge Health implements new robot to help produce chemotherapy treatment

The cancer centre at Lakeridge Health Oshawa now has a robot to help produce chemotherapy medication.

Described as a ‘she,’ RIVA the robot is fully automated and can multi-task as it scans, weighs and fills syringes and IV bags with dosages.

It’s a $1.2-million investment the hospital says will help make their work more efficient.

“It will free up our pharmacy technicians to be able to focus on doses that are more complex to make,” said Laura Wilcock with Lakeridge’s cancer centre.

The hospital is now the fifth in Canada to have the technology. RIVA is able to produce 50 per cent of Lakeridge’s chemotherapy dosages per day.

Although the robot is good at its job, Wilcock says no one has to worry about Riva putting anyone out of work.

“The robot is an addition to our team,” she said.

“It’s meant to complement our technicians and the work that they do.”

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Currently, Riva is trained to produce dosages from five drugs. The hospital says they plan to train the robot for more drugs in the future.

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