No, Uber robots are not delivering medicine

Last week there were a handful of viral videos showing a woman blocking the path of an Uber Eats delivery robot in Center City, Philly. The videos called her a “robophobe” and several commenters said they couldn’t believe someone would hold up life-saving medicine from reaching its destination. 

But, Uber Eats robots do not deliver medication. 

Since medication can be considered a hazardous or dangerous material, there are laws in Pennsylvania that prohibit how medication is handled. Federal regulations restrict how automation is used in all aspects of pharmaceuticals, and requires a strict catalog of the supply chain, from pharmacy to client. 

Robots are subject to possible theft, tipping over on cobblestone streets and temperature control challenges, and so regulations state that they are not suitable to carry medication. 

Uber does have a partnership with a human courier service called Nimble to deliver medication, and that’s their only such service at the moment. 

Also, these Avride delivery robots do not pickup orders from CVS or Target, where most people in Philly are getting their prescription medications from. They do not pick up from hospitals, either.. 

What is in these delivery robots? According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the delivery robot program launched with a handful of takeout restaurant partners, like Carter's Cheesesteaks and Hi Lo Taco Co. During the Uber Eats ordering process, if your restaurant is part of the program and your delivery is within the boundaries of Race to Spruce, 18th to Front, you'll be able to opt in to robot, or specify human courier.

So, at worst, those people standing in front of delivery robots are making someone's tacos or cheesesteak get a little cold.