The shape of things to come: Emerging applications of 3D printing in healthcare

Abstract

We now stand on the brink of a fourth industrial revolution. By the remarkable technological advancements of the twenty-first century, manufacturing is now becoming digitalised. In the last decade, the rise of rapid prototyping has provided individual patient care, acted as an educational and training tool and contributed to research. Innovative technologies such as three-dimensional printing (3DP), have the potential to cause a paradigm shift in medicine design, manufacture and use. Instead of using conventional large batch processes, customised printlets (3D printed tablets) with a tailored dose, shape, size and release characteristics could be produced on-demand. Arguably, never before has the pharmaceutical industry experienced such a transformative technology in medicines manufacture. Indeed, this technology could be utilised throughout the drug development process, ranging from pre-clinical development and first-in-human clinical trials through to front-line medical care (personalized medicines). This chapter aims to discuss the current and future potential applications of 3DP in healthcare and, ultimately, the power of 3DP in pharmaceuticals.