A drug verification apparatus comprising: a sensor system adapted to analyze a drug in a package for delivery to a patient to establish a measured drug signature, wherein the measured drug signature is a function of a chemical formulation and concentration of the drug; an input sensor (40, 42) for receiving a nominal identity of the drug in the package linked to the package; an electronic computer configured to execute a stored program to: 1. determine a correct drug signature associated with the drug using the nominal identity of the drug from a drug database; 2. compare the correct drug signature with the measured drug signature; 3. determine negative signature profiles (78") associated with the drug using the nominal identity of the drug indicating adulteration or contamination of the drug from the drug database and compare the negative signature profiles (78") with the measured drug signature; and 4. provide an output indicating if the correct drug signature differs from the measured drug signature by a predetermined amount, the output based on the comparison of the correct drug signature with the measured drug signature and the comparison of the negative signature profiles (78") with the measured drug signature, the output indicating an incorrect drug and distinguishing among different types of drug error and wherein the output includes an alert; and a pump section for delivery of the drug to the patient and communicating with the electronic computer, wherein the electronic computer is programmed to control the pump section to prevent delivery of the drug to the patient when the output includes an alert. a sensor system adapted to analyze a drug in a package for delivery to a patient to establish a measured drug signature, wherein the measured drug signature is a function of a chemical formulation and concentration of the drug; an input sensor (40, 42) for receiving a nominal identity of the drug in the package linked to the package; an electronic computer configured to execute a stored program to: 1. determine a correct drug signature associated with the drug using the nominal identity of the drug from a drug database; 2. compare the correct drug signature with the measured drug signature; 3. determine negative signature profiles (78") associated with the drug using the nominal identity of the drug indicating adulteration or contamination of the drug from the drug database and compare the negative signature profiles (78") with the measured drug signature; and 4. provide an output indicating if the correct drug signature differs from the measured drug signature by a predetermined amount, the output based on the comparison of the correct drug signature with the measured drug signature and the comparison of the negative signature profiles (78") with the measured drug signature, the output indicating an incorrect drug and distinguishing among different types of drug error and wherein the output includes an alert; and 1. determine a correct drug signature associated with the drug using the nominal identity of the drug from a drug database; 2. compare the correct drug signature with the measured drug signature; 3. determine negative signature profiles (78") associated with the drug using the nominal identity of the drug indicating adulteration or contamination of the drug from the drug database and compare the negative signature profiles (78") with the measured drug signature; and 4. provide an output indicating if the correct drug signature differs from the measured drug signature by a predetermined amount, the output based on the comparison of the correct drug signature with the measured drug signature and the comparison of the negative signature profiles (78") with the measured drug signature, the output indicating an incorrect drug and distinguishing among different types of drug error and wherein the output includes an alert; and a pump section for delivery of the drug to the patient and communicating with the electronic computer, wherein the electronic computer is programmed to control the pump section to prevent delivery of the drug to the patient when the output includes an alert.