Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing a selected one of a plurality of drugs. The apparatus includes a plurality of individual dispensing mechanisms which are contained within a cabinet. Each of the dispensing mechanisms is adapted to store a plurality of a selected drug unit and is responsive to a selected one of a plurality of drug dispense signals for dispensing the selected drug unit. A control unit is responsive to an input authorization signal representing an operator, a patient identification signal representing a patient for which a drug is to be selected, and a drug select signal representing the drug and the amount to be dispensed. The control unit generates a drug dispense signal corresponding to the selected drug to cause the respective dispensing mechanism to dispense the selected drug. The control unit can be preprogrammed with a prescribed schedule for a particular patient such that a drug can be dispensed for that particular patient only during a certain time period.