An Intelligent System for Proper Management and Disposal of Unused and Expired Medications

Haneen Banjar, Rahaf Alrowithi, Sara Alhadrami, Esraa Magrabi, Reema Munshi and Mayda Alrige
Additional contact information
Haneen Banjar: Computer Science Department, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80221, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Rahaf Alrowithi: Computer Science Department, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80221, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Sara Alhadrami: Computer Science Department, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80221, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Esraa Magrabi: Computer Science Department, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80221, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Reema Munshi: Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm al-Qura University, Makkah 21961, Saudi Arabia
Mayda Alrige: Information System Department, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: For years, several countries have been concerned about how to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals that can endanger human health and the environment. Moreover, some people are in desperate need of medical attention and medications, but they lack the financial resources to obtain them. In Saudi Arabia, there are no take-back medicine programs, and there is no published research on how medications properly are disposed. The aim of this research is to use the power of artificial intelligence to assist in the proper management and disposal of expired and unused medications and to develop a prototype device for collecting medication by automatically classifying medications for proper disposal and donation. In this research, artificial intelligence technologies such as web-based expert systems, image recognition and classification algorithms, chatbots, and the internet of things are used to assist in a take-back medications program. In conclusion, the prototype design of a web-based expert system and the device reduced improper disposal risks by providing significant advice on the safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals. By using an organized method of collecting expired medications, the benefits were made possible.

Keywords: disposal of medication; web-based expert system; chatbot; image classification; donation device; take-back medication program (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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