MANUFACTURING
3D Printing: What's in Store for Medicine in the Future 3D printing technology is a globally emerging technology in the field of medicine which has a great potential of improving the quality of life and changing the way in which pharmaceuticals are manufactured. By layering material into a product, 3D printing technology generates complex geometric structures through a digitally controlled process. Ashwin Kuchekar Associate Professor, Head of Career Services and Placement, MIT World Peace University School of Pharmacy
Shalmali Shirish Cholkar Master’s Student, MIT World Peace University School of Pharmacy
3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing, is a digitally-controlled technique of fabricating a product by layer-wise addition of the feed material to generate complex geometric structures. This technique has wide applications in the field of mechanics, consumer goods, electronics, aeronautics, medicine, the food industry, and various other fronts. The manufacturing process of pharmaceuticals has progressed from batch process to continuous process and now to printing.3D printing technology started gaining increased attention in the pharmaceutical field after the USFDA approval of the first 3D printed pill Spritam® by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals in 2015. This technology has been utilized for the printing of medical devices, dental implants, artificial organs, research prototypes, tailored dosage forms, drug fabrication, and specialty surgical instruments. It offers great flexibility which justifies its use in a wide range of settings including educational institutions, hospitals, and even households. Globally, numerous industry experts have predicted the use of 3D printing technology for centralized manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicine, and in the early phases of clinical trials over the span of the next 5 years. 64
P H AR M A F O C U S E U R O PE
ISSUE 01 - 2022
