Pharmacy partners with GTA-based health tech company to launch innovative pilot project
THUNDER BAY — When it comes to prescription delivery, the possibilities are endless anymore.
Toronto-based health tech company Script Runner has partnered with Oak Medical Arts to test a new drone delivery system for prescription drugs that could dramatically improve access to medicines, especially for people living in remote areas, including Indigenous communities.
Script Runner was founded in 2023 and specializes in providing “last mile” solutions to pharmacies and medical professionals using artificial intelligence-powered medicine delivery software.
Script Runner co-founder and chief operations officer Adam Plummer said the company was born out of a recognition of the need for better access to medicines and an improved delivery system.
“We also really care about our customers.
“We take pride in bringing medicines to patients to improve their quality of life, remove those barriers and give them access to great health care,” he said.
Plummer described ScriptRunner's partnership with Oak Medical Arts as a “pilot project.”
“What we want to do most is solve the problem of prescription delivery and provide them with the technology to help them get more out of their day and spend less time on logistics,” he said.
Duggal Media reporters and other media personnel visited the Oak Medical Arts site on Golf Links Road on May 22 to witness the first drone delivery test run.
Despite the windy and overcast skies, the drone (DJI FlyCart 30), piloted by drone technician Cameron Lowe, made an extremely smooth flight into position to receive the first delivery.
The drone then lowered its winch and Rowe attached a container of insulin before heading off to the woman's location in Trout Lake, 30 kilometres (19 miles) northwest.
The delivery was completed in just under 40 minutes.
Plummer identified several potential variables that could affect drone deliveries, including wind direction, temperature fluctuations and generally unfavorable weather conditions, but emphasized the versatility of the drone technology the scriptrunners are working with.
“These drones are definitely very durable, so I think we've got the perfect drone for the job,” he said.
“Drones can reach places that traditional means of transportation can't reach. With drones, you can overcome any situation.”
Speaking with Duggal Media, Robin Despins, executive director of Oak Medical Arts, also weighed in, talking about why this pilot project is a great fit for communities in Thunder Bay and across the region.
“I think we all recognize there is a great need in Northern Ontario, but it’s not just a Northern Ontario issue.
“You have sick people at home with young children, people with mobility issues, people who are just really unwell, and it's just not possible for them to go to the doctor to get a prescription or get the medical care they need.”
“The promise of prescription delivery by drone is much needed, not just in rural and isolated places like Northern Ontario, but around the world,” she said.
She acknowledged that there are many places in the region that are inaccessible by car — such as remote indigenous settlements that can only be reached by air — and suggested that this drone delivery system would not only make them accessible, but also make deliveries more timely.
She confirmed that currently, car deliveries are provided by Oak Medical Arts for a fee, with some being offered free of charge, but said she could not say for sure whether the same would apply to drone deliveries as it was still too early to tell.
But she expressed excitement about what this means for pharmacy care in Northern Ontario, based on her own experience.
“As a small, locally owned pharmacy in Thunder Bay, it’s really fantastic to be able to bring this innovative pilot project here.
“What this means for pharmacy care is also really exciting. In my career as a pharmacist, I've seen so many times people not be able to get their medications when they need them for a variety of reasons – out of town, a long drive, no transportation, the list goes on and on. So I think this is really positive for the future of helping people get the care they need,” she said.
