THE AGE OF PHARMACEUTICAL 3D PRINTING. TECHNOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Additive manufacturing technologies have been adopted by various industries in the past decades, but since the approval of the first 3D printed drug in 2015 by the US Food and Drug Administration, pharmaceutical research has shown ever growing interest in the subject as well. The 3D printing technologies adapted for pharmaceutical applications will be reviewed and important research results will be documented. The most significant advantages when using 3D printing technologies are the ability of creating highly personalised drug products and also the ability to easily alter the drug release characteristics. Medicine and pharmacy university curriculums should be updated with courses on 3D modelling software and 3D printing technologies, as these methods promise great progress for the future of healthcare.