Abstract: A monitored dispensary for medical items comprising or including a storage device to which multiple users have access, said storage device having a containment region inside of which items are stored, and a monitoring system, said monitoring system comprising detectors to obtain information about the items used during a transaction when a user accesses the cabinet, and devices to obtain identity information derived from the user of the cabinet at the time that the transaction was effected, wherein said system is able to process the output of the detectors and/or devices in order to create a record of each transaction and monitor the inventory of the storage device.