COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Texas A&M University researchers are pioneering the 3D printing of personalized pediatric medication doses, aiming to revolutionize how children's prescriptions are tailored and dispensed.
- Dr. Mansoor Khan's team is the first in the U.S. to 3D print medication specifically in pediatric doses, ensuring accuracy and ease of consumption for children.
- The technology allows for real-time monitoring of the drug quantity in each layer, enhancing precision for each dose.
- The team envisions 3D printing machines in pharmacies and clinics, where prescriptions can be printed on demand and customized with flavors preferred by children.
- The National Institute of Health is funding $3.1 million for Dr. Khan's team to 3D print medications for toxoplasmosis and two anti-viral medications.
Broadcast Script:
Machine beeping sounds fill the room. This is the sound of groundbreaking research happening at Texas A&M University, where a team is conducting pioneering work funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The NIH has awarded this team a $3.1 million grant for research that could have a direct impact on patients nationwide.
Dr. Mansoor Khan, who leads the only team in the U.S. 3D printing medications specifically for pediatric doses, explains their innovative approach.
"We thought for the very first time, why can't we just 3D print medication?"
Dr. Khan points out the unique challenges children face with traditional medication dosages.
"For example, there's a 20-milligram medication that adults take in a 25-milligram pill, and we swallow it with water without a second thought. But for a two- or three-year-old child, their dose needs to be modified as they grow," he said.
Currently, the standard industry practice for administering medication to children involves modifying adult doses by crushing pills and diluting them. But Dr. Khan’s team is working on a solution to print medication in precise doses tailored to each pediatric patient.
Swaroop Pansare, a researcher on the team, describes the 3D printing process: “Layer by layer, we are building up the tablet. One additional thing we are doing is monitoring, in real time, the exact amount of the drug present in each layer.”
At the moment, Dr. Khan's team is focusing on 3D printing medication to treat toxoplasmosis, an infection that is a leading cause of foodborne deaths in the U.S. Their ultimate goal is to make these 3D printing machines available in pharmacies and doctors' offices, so medications can be printed on demand.
Dr. Khan envisions a future where "the idea is when a prescription comes from a physician to the pharmacist, by the time [the patient] comes to collect it, their medication will be ready. Freshly made, you can even put the flavor that the child prefers."