Japanese Pharmaceutical Company Starts Testing Vending Machines At Train Stations, Offers Eye Drops To Digestive Medicine

Illustration of a drug vending machine at a train station. (Source: Taisho)

JAKARTA - A Japanese pharmaceutical company has started trial sales of cold medicine, painkillers and other medicines through vending machines installed at JR Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, a project that will better serve passengers who suddenly fall ill. .

Vending machine by Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. at one of Japan's busiest train stations began operating last week and will be available for use until August 31.

The pharmaceutical company said it would analyze issues that arose during the trial, in hopes of locating it in the future in an area that lacks many drugstores, Kyodo News reported June 4.

The machines, which stock about 30 different products including eye drops and digestive medications, will be available for use between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., as well as allowing pharmacists at drugstores inside Shinjuku Station to assist customers.

Taisho Pharmaceutical said it would consider extending the machine's operating hours, after conducting trials.

Meanwhile, pharmacists who are placed in the nearest drug store are notified via the device, when a customer has selected a nonprescription drug through a vending machine. The user can then acquire the item after staff approval.

For now, purchases are limited to prepaid transportation cards, while the machine has an integrated facial recognition system to prevent users from buying large amounts of medicine.