Using drones for medical delivery purposes is a world first, writes the national health authority on its website. Much is expected of the trial project by the NHS. As part of the project, cancer patients from England will receive drugs for their chemotherapy by drone. These drones are expected to take off for the first time next week, providing patients with vital medicines.
The first route of flight is already in place: the drugs will be flown by air directly from a pharmacy to a hospital on the Isle of Wight. However, why is the NHS suddenly turning to drone technology?
For the answer, we should take a look at the health authority’s own website: Transporting chemotherapy drugs, it says, is difficult because some doses have a short shelf life. “That’s why the NHS has teamed up with technology company Apian to find a new way to get treatment to patients in record time.” And that new way is by air using drones.
Much shorter delivery times made possible by drones
Through their use, the delivery time of the drugs can be shortened from four hours to just 30 minutes. Furthermore, cancer patients on the Isle of Wight, many of whom would otherwise have to travel to the mainland for treatment, can now be treated directly on site.
However, the idea of drones and drugs is not entirely new. Since this year, the Düsseldorf University Hospital has also been using drones to deliver medicines by air – with success.
The British Royal Mail will also start testing the use of autonomous delivery drones to deliver parcels to remote areas, reports Engadget. The UK postal service hopes the use of drones will reduce CO2 emissions and cut delivery times, especially in more remote regions.
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