Pharmacy Automation Market

Pharmacy Automation Market Analysis

The Global Pharmacy Automation Market size is estimated at USD 7.19 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 10.91 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.71% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

The factors driving the growth of the market are the increasing demand for specialty drug prescription filling solutions, the rising need to minimize medication errors, and the decentralization of pharmacies. There has been a rising incidence of chronic and life-threatening diseases and an increasing dispense of medications. For instance, an article updated by StatPearls in February 2024 reported that globally, medication-related errors account for 5% to 41.3% of all hospital admissions and lead to 22% of readmissions post-discharge. Patients prescribed five or more medications experience a 30% higher incidence of these errors, while those aged 75 and older observe a 38% increase. Hence, hospitals and pharmacies are adopting new pharmacy automation technologies to reduce operating costs while improving patient safety.

In addition, the increasing geriatric population in Japan is contributing to market growth. For instance, the 2023 statistics published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported that in Japan, the population aged 65 years and over was 36.22 million in 2023, and the population aged 75 years and over was reported to be 19.97 million in 2023. Geriatric people are more prone to developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders, which can raise the demand for effective therapeutics, further accelerate the need for medications, and drive the need for pharmacy automation.

Moreover, pharmacy automation systems offer numerous advantages to patients, pharmacies, and essential healthcare professionals. These automated systems enhance safety and cost-effectiveness and streamline pharmacy operations through improved data workflows. Such technological advancements have enabled pharmacies to stay competitive in a swiftly changing industry, benefiting patients and doctors in multiple ways. Therefore, the rising need to minimize medication errors, the more significant geriatric population, and the advantages of these pharmacy automation systems likely boost the market growth during the forecast period. However, a slight redundancy in the adoption of automation in pharmacies in underdeveloped and developing regions will likely impede market growth during the forecast period.

Pharmacy Automation Market Trends

The Automated Medication Dispensing Systems Segment is Expected to Witness Significant Growth During the Forecast Period

The automated medication dispensing systems segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period owing to the systems' ability to eliminate medication errors, decrease procedural time, and enhance patient safety concerns. In addition, these systems track narcotics and other controlled drugs, monitor drug usage patterns, and eliminate manual end-of-shift narcotic counts, especially in inpatient care units.

Additionally, a high infection rate boosted the demand for medication to be dispensed through automation to avoid cross-infections. For instance, according to a study published by Elsevier in April 2024, the overall prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) in sub-Saharan Africa was reported to be 30%, the highest proportion compared to previous years. Hence, this infection count positively impacted the need for automated medication dispensing systems to reduce the burden on pharmacists, thus contributing to the segment's growth.

Automated dispensing systems also balance security, user-friendliness, inventory management, and control of medications, thereby driving their demand. Moreover, there is a growing demand for automated systems that help stock and inventory management. For instance, in March 2022, Capsa Healthcare expanded its NexsysADC automated dispensing cabinets suite. Nexysys can accommodate any size of controlled and highly valued medications or supplies in two new sizes of controlled access module drawers. The pharmacy automation system optimizes the flow of medication handling to ensure the achievement of high patient safety standards.

Therefore, the high burden of hospital-acquired infections and the adoption of automated dispensing systems will likely boost segment growth in the market during the forecast period.

North America Holds a Significant Share in the Pharmacy Automation Market During the Forecast Period

The North American pharmacy automation market holds a significant share due to the prevalence of various chronic disorders, the growing number of patients, technological advancements, and the presence of key market players.

The rising prevalence of chronic diseases among the Mexican population is expected to drive market growth in the region. According to the 2024 data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), an estimated 17 million adults in Mexico were projected to have diabetes by 2023. This number is anticipated to increase to 21.18 million by 2050. Similarly, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among the Canadian population is expected to contribute to the growth of the market. For instance, the Canadian Institute for Health Information data published in July 2022 reported that about 2.4 million Canadians had heart disease in 2022. The prevalence of chronic cardiovascular disorder and diabetes in North American countries is increasing the demand for pharmacy automation, thus contributing to the growth of the market in the region.

The acquisitions and new product launches are also driving the market growth in the region. For instance, in April 2024, in collaboration with JVM Manufacturing, Swisslog Healthcare, one of the key players in pharmacy and transport automation solutions, launched the ezCUT Automated Tablet Cutter in the North American market. The ezCUT is designed to enhance pharmacy workflows and expedite processing by automatically and accurately cutting oral solid medications, catering specifically to half-strength prescriptions.

In addition, in December 2022, Omnicell Inc. acquired ReCept Holdings Inc. The addition of ReCept's specialty pharmacy management services for health systems, provider groups, and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) expanded Omnicell's advanced services portfolio to address the growing and complex specialty pharmacy market. These company activities likely increase the availability of pharmacy automation products, thereby boosting the market growth in the region.

Therefore, due to the high burden of chronic diseases and the company's strategic activities, the North American market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period.

Pharmacy Automation Industry Overview

The pharmacy automation market is highly fragmented and competitive. The market is characterized by continuous innovation, with companies focusing on enhancing system integration, improving user interfaces, and expanding functionalities to meet diverse customer needs. Some major players operating globally and regionally are Arxium Inc., Capsa Solutions LLC, Omnicell Inc., Parata Systems LLC, and Scriptpro LLC.

Pharmacy Automation Market Leaders

Pharmacy Automation Market News

• April 2024: Canadian pharmacy and medical supply provider Healthmark Services Ltd partnered with JFCRx to supply adherence pouch packaging, inspection, and semi-automated vial filling pharmacy automation equipment to increase medication management's reliability, efficiency, and safety.
• March 2024: Tension Packaging & Automation, a key payer of packaging automation solutions for e-commerce and pharmacy, planned to launch the new fitPACK 500 right-sized packaging system at MODEX 2024.