Drug Labeling

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for enabling transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container including a drug identification component that recognizes a first drug container to retrieve drug identifying data for the drug, a storage medium that stores a site-specific database comprising attributes and associated values for a set of drugs including the drug in the first drug container, a processor that obtains the drug identifying data and the attributes and associated values for the drug and produces information about the drug using the drug identifying data and the attributes and associated values, a rules engine that applies one or more rules to the information about the drug to generate drug handling information, and an output unit that outputs markings comprising the drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, to be associated with the second container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for labeling a syringe comprising:
 a drug identification component comprising a radio frequency reader that interrogates a RFID tag associated with a first drug container to read drug identifying data for a drug in the first drug container;   a storage medium that stores a database comprising data for a set of drugs including the drug in the first drug container;   a processor programmed to obtain, based on the drug identifying data read from the RFID tag, information from the database corresponding to the drug and produces label content suitable for labeling the syringe containing the drug, the label content comprising all of: a drug name, an expiration date, an expiration time, and a preparation date; and   an output unit that outputs the label content in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, to be associated with the syringe.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the drug identifying data is based on a National Drug Code (NDC) number. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the drug identifying data is based on one or more proprietary codes. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a display device that displays a virtual label before the output unit outputs the label content, the virtual label comprising at least the drug name and a concentration of the drug to be stored in the syringe. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to include, as part of the label content, dilution information indicating a diluent used to dilute the drug. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the output unit prints the label content to generate a printed label that is color coded in compliance with a drug labeling standard. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor communicates with a memory and the storage medium storing the database, wherein one or both of the memory and the storage medium are local to the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor communicates with a memory and the storage medium storing the database, wherein one or both of the memory and the storage medium are located remote from the system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the label content is printed by the output unit onto an adhesive label to be affixed to the syringe. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to encode at least a portion of the label content in a computer-readable format, and the output unit provides the portion of the label content in the computer-readable format on the adhesive label. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least the expiration date and the expiration time are encoded in the computer-readable format and provided in the computer-readable format on the adhesive label to, when read in the computer-readable format, trigger a warning if the drug in the syringe has expired. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least the expiration date and the expiration time are encoded in the computer-readable format and provided in the computer-readable format on the adhesive label to, when read in the computer-readable format, trigger a warning if the drug in the syringe has expired. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the label content further comprises at least one of: an identity of a clinician who prepared the syringe, information enabling documentation of drug administration 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rules comprise rules for intercepting recalled, expired, or prohibited drugs. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an audio-visual unit for producing one or more of an audible and visual indication of information about the drug. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the label content further comprises drug handling information that offers guidance to a user of the drug. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs the label content in at least the machine-readable form to be provided to the label, and the label content uniquely identifies the syringe to which the label is to be associated. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs the label content in at least the machine-readable form to be provided to the label, and the label content further comprises drug utilization information that establishes a record for tracking at least utilization of the drug. 
     
     
         19 . A system for labeling a syringe comprising:
 a drug identification component comprising a radio frequency reader that interrogates a RFID tag associated with a first drug container to read drug identifying data for a drug in the first drug container;   a storage medium that stores a database comprising data for a set of drugs including the drug in the first drug container;   a processor programmed to obtain, based on the drug identifying data read from the RFID tag, information from the database corresponding to the drug and produces label content suitable for labeling the syringe containing the drug, the label content comprising at least one of: a drug name, expiration information, a date on which the drug was prepared, and a time at which the drug was prepared; and   an output unit that outputs the label content in human-readable and machine-readable form, to be associated with the syringe.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the label content further comprises information indicative of an identity of a person responsible for preparing the drug.