A pill conveying apparatus including a housing with a pill discharge aperture. A vacuum drum positioned at least partially within the housing, and the vacuum drum includes (i) a drum face having a primary surface (ii) a plurality of pill apertures formed in the drum face, and (iii) at least one secondary surface formed on the drum face, the secondary surface varying in elevation relative to the primary surface. A vacuum source draws a vacuum through the pill apertures in the vacuum drum and a torque source is operatively connected to the vacuum drum in order to rotate the vacuum drum. A pill shelf positioned adjacent to the drum face and a pill removal arm inhibits multiple pills from being retained on a pill aperture by the vacuum source. A pill sensor is positioned on the apparatus to detect pills which will exit the discharge aperture.
