An apparatus (20) is described that is specifically adapted for use with a dispensing container comprising a tray with one or more discrete cavities for receiving medication and a seal. The tray includes a machine-readable marker that encodes a unique identifier for the tray and the seal includes a pre-defined area for thermal printing. The apparatus (20) includes a reader (26) adapted to read the marker on the tray and to obtain, from the marker, the unique identifier for the tray. The apparatus also includes a controller (22) adapted to receive patient-specific information (24) and to associate the patient-specific information with the unique identifier for the tray, and a medication dispenser (30) for automatically filling one or more cavities of the tray with medication with reference to the patient-specific information associated with the unique identifier. A sealing unit (36) is adapted to automatically apply the seal to the tray. The apparatus includes a thermal print head (40) adapted to thermally print human-readable information on to the thermoprint ink patch before, during or after the seal has been applied to the tray. The thermally printed human-readable information is directly derived from at least some of the patient-specific information associated with the unique identifier.
