As the demand for new drugs and medicines grows, pharma companies are constantly searching to increase productivity, thereby increasing reliance on automated equipment and robotics. This has an impact on many areas of the industry which is likely to have an effect on jobs. Robots in pharma have come into the industry at the right time post assessing the impact that Covid-19 created. The demand to reduce the burden and increase efficiency has called for the induction of robots into the industry.

Robots will take up some pharma jobs that require human labour until now. Regardless of the fact that economists believe that technology will actually lead to the eradication of labour-intensive tasks that were once necessary and instead result in the creation of more jobs as it replaces by giving us the freedom to do new work.

Rise of Pharma industries despite the pandemic
Even throughout the financial crisis, the pharmaceutical industry was one of the 47 per cent of growing industries rather than the ones suffering significant losses. Pharmaceutical industry operators today need to modernise their production techniques in order to lower costs and boost up.  Robots have already worked in industries where work in certain areas seemed to be hostile for humans.

Mobile robots can be used to perform typical duties in the work profile of the pharmaceutical business. Such benefits include:

Efficiency and precision:

Regarding speed, using robots in the pharmaceutical business has several benefits. Robots may be used 24 hours a day and can do jobs about three to four times faster than humans. These characteristics enable them to produce vast amounts of a product quickly. Robots can also move more accurately than a sheet of paper and are much more significant than humans.

Modern robotic systems typically have fewer parts than traditional machinery, require less maintenance, and have quicker changeover times. Therefore, using robots is significantly less expensive overall. The amount of space needed to construct a factory is decreased because one robot can carry out the duties of many different pieces of machinery. Unlike conventional machinery, these robots can also be retooled and reworked for entirely different applications.

Robots in the laboratory:
Most lab tests are related to research, drug discovery, and medication development, and they frequently entail tedious procedures like stirring liquids and turning test tubes. Robots are thus the best option for these jobs because they are simple to automate and offer high consistency and accuracy. Researchers can avoid tedious duties and devote their time to more valuable pursuits, such as actual medication creation and research, by using robots.

Medication Frauds:
Robots might also help pharmacies and pharmaceutical firms identify fake drugs or drugs that have been created fraudulently. Since the introduction of online pharmacies, there have been a disproportionately large number of medications that are not what they are represented to be on the packaging – some lacking the active component or having no active substance, or even ingredients that are harmful to the user

Because of this, the pharmaceutical industry has begun to emphasise the importance of being able to track pharmaceuticals from their manufacture to the point of sale or administration.

Pharmacies with Robot pharmacists:
We are already seeing some large hospitals and clinics use robotics to dispense various medications. Analysts expect the interest in so-called 'robotic pharmacies' will only increase as demand rises. Additionally, many in the industry are foreseeing total robotic pharmacies in the future that could do away with the need for a pharmacist to physically dispense medications.

Sustainability
The pharmaceutical sector is working to make its operations more sustainable. To achieve this, drug producers have had to cut back on waste and pollutants and use less energy. Robots can help accomplish these objectives because the motors, drives, and gearboxes that power them have been proven to be up to 95% energy efficient.

Robotics' greater efficiency and dependability also result in far fewer rejected goods and materials wasted, generating savings in the millions. Additionally, since each robot comprises disposable parts, cleaning costs, chemical and water consumption, and carbon footprints are all decreased.

Wrap-Up
The changes and benefits robots could provide the pharmaceutical industry are seemingly endless. From creating vast savings to increasing efficiency and safety it is the robots' speed, precision, reliability and flexibility that make them such valuable tools. The question, therefore, becomes not so much how can robots change the pharmaceutical industry.

FAQ's

1. How is the future of robots in medicine?

Ans: In the medical industry, robots are revolutionising how procedures are carried out, speeding supply delivery and sterilisation, and allowing professionals to concentrate on interacting and caring for patients.

2. What are robots' primary use in medicine?

Ans: Routine jobs are streamlined, physical demands on human workers are decreased, and procedures are made more consistent thanks to service robots. These robots can manage inventory and make immediate orders, ensuring that supplies, machinery, and medications are available where they are required.

3. What are the challenges of using robots in healthcare?

• Lacking of Emotional support and development
• Social acceptance is one of the main challenges for using robots in healthcare
• Privacy and security
• Power source