Pharmacy Automation Market Report 2025 (Global Edition)

MARKET DYNAMICS

KEY DRIVERS

• Increased human-caused drug mistakes are driving the demand for pharmacy automation favouring the market growth

The use of automated technology in the medication consumption process has significantly reduced medication errors and the associated clinical and economic consequences. According to data published by the National Library of Medicine, a recent meta-analysis indicated that the total frequency of significant adverse pharmaceutical reactions in hospitals was 6.7%. This meta-analysis did not include instances attributable to errors. Errors happen at a rate of four per day at a drugstore that fills 250 prescriptions a day; this translates to an estimated 51.5 million errors out of the 3 billion prescriptions filled nationwide yearly. Consequently, one of the most effective ways to reduce the frequency of pharmaceutical errors may be to incorporate automated technology into the medication process. It has been shown that using barcode medication administration (BCMA) in conjunction with electronic medication administration records (eMAR) improves drug safety by allowing patients to be identified and aligned with administration data. Automated dispensing, where medications are packaged either as multi- or unit-dose bags, has shown inconsistent results. For instance, according to the National Library of Medicine, an application called Computerised Physician Order Entry (CPOE) allows physicians to write orders online. With this system, there has been one study in which it was shown that the rate of serious error fell by 55% and another study showed that the rate of all errors fell by 83%, showcasing a positive impact of automated intervention. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/) 
 

• Increasing rates of infections and chronic diseases becoming more common are boosting demand for pharmacy automation

Globally, the prevalence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, asthma, and cancer is on the rise, which is leading to an increase in the need for medication. For instance, diabetes was particularly noticeable in individuals 65 and older worldwide, with a prevalence rate of over 20% for that age group, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The age group between 75 and 79 had the highest rate, which was 24.4%. When the statistics were broken down by super-region, the rates in this age range were highest in North Africa and the Middle East (39.4%), and lowest in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia (19.8%). All that the people suffering from these conditions have been the medications that their physicians have given. The world's population is also aging as more advanced healthcare facilities become available. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that population aging is occurring far more quickly than it did in the past. In 2020, there were more adults 60 years of age and above than children under five. Eighty percent of the elderly will reside in low- and middle-income nations in 2050. One such element pushing up the demand for medicines is the creation of new and effective treatments customized to specific conditions as a consequence of increased research and development. It is widely accepted that automated production has revolutionized the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Both medical equipment and medications are produced with much greater efficiency these days. Technologies that are automated speed up production. It also completes difficult tasks with reliability and speed, saving production time and costs. As a result, pharmaceutical companies are better equipped to meet the growing demand for their products. Better data management, precision, and correctness go hand in hand with enhanced production and speed.
(Source:https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/newsroom/news-releases/global-diabetes-cases-soar-529-million-13-billion-2050, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health) 

• Increasing labor costs are driving the demand for pharmacy automation elevating the market growth

Over time, labor prices and demands have undergone significant changes. Even if laborers are efficient and effective, the manufacturing process is being impacted considerably by their rising costs, which is forcing machines to take over laborers’ roles. The cost index released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that wages and labor costs increased by 5.1% in December 2022 and by 4.3% in the year that concluded in December 2023. Benefits costs increased by 4.8 percent in December 2022 and by 3.6 percent in December 2023. The private sector's inflation-adjusted (constant dollar) compensation costs rose by 0.7% for the year that ended in December 2023. For the year ending in December 2023, pay and inflation-adjusted wage figures grew by 0.9 percent. The private sector's inflation-adjusted benefit costs increased by 0.2% in the same year. With the usage of automation in the process, pharma can achieve effective and efficient results more easily and quickly. Also, it will be time-saving. Patients may pay less thanks to automation's ability to streamline procedures and cut labor costs. Furthermore, improvements in machine learning and artificial intelligence are making automated systems increasingly more precise and effective, which will raise patient safety and quality.

RESTRAINTS

• High capital investment might limit the market growth

Pharmacy automation systems may require physical design and infrastructure modifications from pharmacies. For instance, introducing automated storage or robotic dispensing systems could require more room and structural modifications. The total cost of automation may rise significantly as a result of infrastructure improvements and renovations. Pharmacy automation system adoption frequently requires system and process integration with already existing pharmacies. The process of integration can be difficult and time-consuming, and it can cost extra for software development, IT support, and customization. Moreover, educating pharmacy employees on how to operate and maintain the automation devices raises the entire cost For instance, CodaMetrix, a start-up company aimed at resolving issues in the administrative and client domains of the healthcare sector, declared in February 2023 that it had completed a series A investment round, raising US$ 55 billion. To increase healthcare automation, it was anticipated that these monies would be used to develop an AI-powered hospital billing platform. Furthermore, in June 2023, Seattle-based Outbound AI, a freshly established American company, revealed that it had raised US $16 billion to launch its new AI products. These solutions streamline the administrative tasks involved in the claims process and help medical teams communicate with insurance companies. As a result, it is noted that such high upfront expenses seriously constrain the market.
(Source: https://www.factmr.com/report/healthcare-automation-market)

How did COVID–19 Impact Pharmacy Automation?

The market for pharmacy automation systems grew during the COVID-19 fare-ups. This is the result of a discernible increase in pharmacies' requirement for robotics. Hospitals, assisted living centers, and other healthcare facilities employ a broad variety of robots to support physicians, nurses, and patients. Robots carried out crucial jobs including sign measurement, cleaning, and the delivery of food and medications. Additionally, Robot-controlled ultraviolet surface cleaning was employed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since the virus can infect surfaces and spread from person to person through close contact. Furthermore, due to the pandemic, manpower shortage raised the need for mechanized machinery. Robotics is one instance of cutting-edge technology that has become popular in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. It also increased the automation of production facilities, which reduced congestion during the COVID-19 epidemic in some areas. There was also a very high requirement for a robot arm for viral DNA testing. During the process of manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine, the demand for SCARA and collaborative robots for pharmaceutical manufacturing increased.
 

Our study will explain complete manufacturing process along with major raw materials required to manufacture end-product. This report helps to make effective decisions determining product position and will assist you to understand opportunities and threats around the globe.

The Global Pharmacy Automation Market is witnessing significant growth in the near future.

In 2023, the Medication Dispensing Systems segment accounted for noticeable share of global Pharmacy Automation Market and is projected to experience significant growth in the near future.

The Retail Pharmacy segment is expected to expand at the significant CAGR retaining position throughout the forecast period.

Some of the key companies Capsa Healthcare , Inc and others are focusing on its strategy building model to strengthen its product portfolio and expand its business in the global market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)