Patent ID: 8374965

Claim:
A method of verifying the identity of a dispensed pharmaceutical, comprising: reading identifying indicia on a pharmaceutical vial containing a dispensed pharmaceutical; determining the identity of a prescribed pharmaceutical called for by the identifying indicia; comparing the identity of the prescribed pharmaceutical to data storage comprising data that indicates whether the prescribed pharmaceutical is one that can be positively distinguished by image and spectral analysis; and responsive to the comparison of the identity of the prescribed pharmaceutical to data storage, either (a) rejecting the dispensed pharmaceutical when the comparison indicates that the prescribed pharmaceutical cannot be positively distinguished by image and spectral analysis, or (b) performing the following when the comparison indicates that the prescribed pharmaceutical can be positively distinguished by image and spectral analysis: acquiring an image of the dispensed pharmaceutical through the vial; comparing the image of the dispensed pharmaceutical to data storage comprising image data associated with pharmaceuticals; acquiring spectral data for the dispensed pharmaceutical through the vial; comparing the spectral data of the dispensed pharmaceutical to data storage comprising spectral data associated with pharmaceuticals; and automatically determining whether the image and the spectral data of the dispensed pharmaceutical confirm that the dispensed pharmaceutical matches the prescribed pharmaceutical.