STI is proud to announce that 2008 has shown unprecedented growth.  SmartTechnology™ products (SmartRx™, SmartSample® & SmartPayment™) have been processed in over 94% of retail pharmacies in every province in Canada.

In September 2008, STI won a $10,000 Manning Innovation Award for developing a safer, more efficient way to distribute drug samples. SmartSample® and other SmartTechnology™ products replace traditional pharmaceutical samples with a specialized prescription that physicians can endorse and give to patients. “Patients can use the prescription to receive free samples from any retail pharmacy in  Canada from its regular supply of medications”, explains STI Managing Partner Bill Adams. “Sampling has an important role in the healthcare system because it allows physicians and patients to evaluate drug therapies at no cost.  Bringing the pharmacist into the loop to check for drug-drug interactions and counseling with the patient bridges the gap in continuity of care”, Adams adds. This milestone couldn’t have been reached without the support of all the pharmacies across Canada who have processed a SmartTechnology™ product.

STI began offering SmartTechnology™ solutions in the Atlantic Canadian Market in 2002.  After the Atlantic Pilot Project was successfully completed in 2003, STI commenced its operations and quickly launched programs across the country with many major pharmaceutical and diagnostic clients.  In 2004, STI officially received approval to launch in the Quebec marketplace and became a truly National player for alternative sample marketing programs.

Since then, STI has had numerous endorsements from medical, pharmacy and regulatory bodies.  SmartTechnology™ products and programs are viewed as an improvement in patient safety by allowing patient access to pharmacist counseling on a new medication or device as early as the sample. This reduces the potential for drug interactions as the sampled medication is checked against the existing patient profile at pharmacy.

STI would like to thank everyone that has supported SmartTechnology™!

For more information please contact STI directly.

Katie Arbuckle
SmartTechnology™  Brand Manager