
Drones to deliver chemotherapy drugs in half an hour in NHS trial on Isle of Wight
In a pilot scheme a drone will deliver chemotherapy drugs from a pharmacy in Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight, cutting delivery times from four hours to 30 minutes. Doctors hope it could be the first step towards "same-day delivery" by drone for the NHS.
The NHS will trial the use of drones to deliver life-saving chemotherapy drugs within half an hour.
Doctors believe the pilot scheme, which will ferry the drugs from a hospital in Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight, could be the first step towards "same-day delivery" for the health service.
It is hoped that drones will enable doctors to order drugs and medical equipment from anywhere in the country for delivery that day.
In the trial, chemotherapy drugs will be delivered from a pharmacy at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust to St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight.
The drone will cut delivery times from four hours to 30 minutes, as one flight will replace two car journeys and one hovercraft or ferry journey per delivery.
NHS England officials said chemotherapy is difficult to transport as some doses have a short shelf life.
The new method, launched in partnership with tech company Apian, will save time and money and offer a better option for cancer patients living on the island, many of whom have to travel to the mainland for treatment, officials added.
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