By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cost crisis
    What If the Health Care Cost Crisis Solves Itself?
    May 11, 2013
    Do You Need Life Insurance? What Does It Cover?
    December 23, 2022
    HIE metal plans
    The Four “Metal Plans” of Health Insurance Exchanges
    May 28, 2013
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 3D-Printed Pill Opens Up World of Customized Medication
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Devices > 3D-Printed Pill Opens Up World of Customized Medication
Medical DevicesMedical InnovationsNews

3D-Printed Pill Opens Up World of Customized Medication

Nishita Pereira-Gracias
Nishita Pereira-Gracias
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Every time a one-of-a-kind 3D-printed trinket takes center stage, the power of the technology seems to blow our minds – whether it is Strati, the first 3D-printed car; the 3D Varius, the first SLA 3D-printed electric violin; the 2-story villa being built in China with 3D-printed modules; or pizzas, cookies, and cakes printed by XYZ Printing’s 3D Food Printer.

Every time a one-of-a-kind 3D-printed trinket takes center stage, the power of the technology seems to blow our minds – whether it is Strati, the first 3D-printed car; the 3D Varius, the first SLA 3D-printed electric violin; the 2-story villa being built in China with 3D-printed modules; or pizzas, cookies, and cakes printed by XYZ Printing’s 3D Food Printer.

3D printing has already revolutionized personalized healthcare with 3D printed ears, hearts, skin, kidneys, and bones and tracheas. However, this latest development may just be the beginning of custom-ordered drugs, instead of a one-drug-suits-all approach.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the very first prescription drug developed through 3D printing this month. Spritam, by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals, is a dissolvable tablet that controls seizures brought on by epilepsy. The new 3D-printed version is specially designed for children or other patients with difficulties in swallowing large pills.

More Read

Driverless Cars: Boon or Bane?
Things to Know Before Your First Chiropractic Visit
TEDMED Day #1, Light on Medicine, High on Inspiration
The History of the Nurse’s Cap
Quick Blood Test to Spot SCID In Infants

The Aprecia pill, printed layer by layer, is highly porous and dissolves quickly when submerged in liquid, delivering the medication rapidly.

What the 3D printed tablet means today is that finally, after decades of manufacturing pills in factories and shipping them off to hospitals, medication can finally be designed much closer to the patient, with doses specifically tweaked to suit his or her requirement.

Reaching this milestone has not been an easy task for sure. There have been many attempts to print medication in the past; none with such victorious results before.

University of Glasgow

In 2012, Professor Lee Cronin at the University of Glasgow turned a 3D printer into a universal chemistry set looking to print prescription drugs via downloadable chemistry. He pointed out that almost all drugs are made of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen, and other readily available agents and the printer would make it possible to make any organic molecule with a small number of inks. Back then, Cronin and his team of researchers were working on developing the first chemical app for Ibuprofen. He admitted that they were still at the “science fiction” stage of the process at that time.

Louisiana Tech University

A team of researchers from the Louisiana Tech University in August last year believed they had come up with a way of printing drugs with the help of a 3D printer. The 3D printer would be able to create a capsule made out of a biodegradable material and medicine, altered as per the requirements of the patient, would only need to be inserted before it was sealed.

University of Michigan

Researchers at the University of Michigan last October used the method of organic vapor jet printing to create rounded, facet-less crystals called nanolobes. These nanolobes, the scientists believed, lent themselves to being manipulated through 3D printing technology to create medicine that would not only absorb more readily into the body but also make personalized dosing more viable.

University of Central Lancashire

Dr Mohamed Albed Alhnan and his team at the University of Central Lancashire developed a drug-polymer filament system in December last year that, they believed, could replace the original filaments in a 3D printer, thereby making it possible to print a tablet with realistic doses of the medicine.

3D printing has already emerged as a game-changer for medical research. With the potential to change the lives of patients like never before, the FDA approval of the 3D-printed pill is a giant leap forward in the pharmaceutical industry.

 

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery Types

March 28, 2011
Medical InnovationsTechnology

Diagnosing Mesothelioma: From Symptoms to Big Data Analysis

November 22, 2017
types of workplace accidents
News

The Most Common Causes of Injury at Work and How to Prevent Them

June 6, 2021
Global HealthcareMedical DevicesMobile HealthPublic HealthTechnology

Video: Eliminating Barriers To Care Using Technology

December 29, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?