If given the choice, would you take a 3-D printed pill? Recent news have shown that the US federal Food and Drug Administration has approved of the very first 3-D printed pill.
A company by the name of Aprecia Pharmaceuticals has developed a 3-D printed drug called Spritam that is used to help patients control seizures brought on by epilepsy. Aprecia Pharmaceuticals representative Jennifer Zieverink explains that using the 3-D printing process allows technicians to create pills that are more concentrated and dissolve easier.
Zieverink also reveals that Aprecia has gained interests from several other pharmaceutical companies that are looking to create their own 3-D printed pills. According to the article, “Aprecia has three other candidates for 3-D printing in the pipeline.”
Although the 3-D printed drug Spritam may seem to have some benefits, why are so many companies and individuals interested in it? It turns out that these 3-D printed drugs have a great potential to create even more benefits for its users.
The process of 3-D printing – true to their original purpose – used to create pills can also be extremely customizable. The ease of use and flexibility of 3-D printing can allow pharmaceutical companies to create pills that cater to specific patients and adjust doses as needed. The ability to create pills for specific patients also allows pharmacists to create a single pill that contain several different drugs, allowing patients to consume less pills for their medication.
These improvements not only make taking pills faster and more convenient, but also helps patients that have difficulty taking their medication. The article even states that, “it could open the door for things like pills that could be modeled in the shape of a cute animal, or something else that would be easier for kids.”
In my own opinion, I think this is a great development for all people that need to take pills. The ability to combine drugs together into a single pill would greatly help people who find taking medicine an inconvenience or feel discouraged by having to take many different pills. It could also help children, who usually dislike taking medicine, healthy.
I do, however, also have some concerns on whether or not this development would be safe for society. It’s a bit troubling to wonder about how many people may take advantage of creating drugs with 3-D printing, especially since it’s becoming more common in society.
In general, I would really like to see how this develops further and how it can benefit people’s lives in other different ways. I would also like to see what precautions will be taken in order to regulate the production of drugs from 3-D printers to make sure that this development helps society rather than create more problems.