An apparatus for verifying the identity of a dispensed pharmaceutical comprises an analysis unit adapted to determine a property of the dispensed pharmaceutical, an input device adapted to receive predetermined identifying information corresponding to the dispensed pharmaceutical, and a comparison unit adapted to compare the determined property of the dispensed pharmaceutical with the predetermined identifying information. In addition, a method of verifying a prescription, wherein the prescription comprises a pharmaceutical compound, comprises associating the prescription with a unique identifier, storing the unique identifier, determining the identity of the pharmaceutical compound, and comparing the identity of the pharmaceutical compound with the unique identifier.