Recent trends in 3D-printed pharmaceuticals: Personalized dosage forms and their clinical applications

Abstract

The integration of 3D printing technology into the pharmaceutical industry has revolutionized drug development, enabling the production of personalized dosage forms tailored to individual patient needs. This review explores recent trends in 3D-printed pharmaceuticals, highlighting advancements in drug formulation, customizable dosage forms, and multi-drug delivery systems. By enabling precise dosing and drug release profiles, 3D printing enhances therapeutic efficacy, patient compliance, and treatment outcomes, particularly in areas such as oncology, pediatrics, geriatrics, and rare diseases. Personalized medicine, supported by 3D printing, allows healthcare providers to design medications specific to a patient’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, thereby addressing limitations of conventional mass-produced pharmaceuticals. The review also examines challenges in scalability, regulatory oversight, and manufacturing consistency, while discussing potential future directions involving artificial intelligence, bioprinting, and nanotechnology. As the pharmaceutical landscape evolves, 3D printing holds great promise for the future of personalized healthcare, offering flexibility, patient-centric solutions, and improved therapeutic outcomes.