Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Evaluating Regional Pulmonary Deposition using Patient-Specific 3D Printed Lung Models
Published on: November 11, 2020
Three-dimensional printing as a transformative platform for patient-centric pediatric drug delivery: technologies,
Padmadip Phadte1, Mythili Krishna Jeedigunta1, Gopalkrishna Rao1
1Goa College of Pharmacy, Goa University, Panaji, India.
Insights
Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers innovative solutions for pediatric drug delivery, creating age-appropriate dosage forms with precise dosing and improved patient acceptance. This technology enhances pharmacotherapy by enabling tailored drug release and sensory attributes for children.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Pediatric patients require specialized dosage forms due to developmental variations affecting drug efficacy and administration.
- Conventional pediatric formulations often present challenges like inaccurate dosing, poor palatability, and reduced adherence.
- Three-dimensional (3D) printing emerges as a promising technology for personalized pediatric drug delivery, addressing these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review advancements in 3D printing for pediatric drug delivery.
- To provide a formulation-focused and translational perspective on integrating pediatric needs with 3D printing technology.
- To examine technology selection, polymer considerations, and dosage form design flexibility in pediatric applications.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review assessed recent developments in pediatric pharmaceutical 3D printing.
- Evaluated key technologies: fused deposition modeling, semi-solid extrusion, binder jetting, and inkjet printing.
- Focused on formulation design, polymer selection, drug-polymer compatibility, taste-masking, personalized dosing, and adaptability for pediatric age groups.
Main Results:
- 3D printing facilitates diverse pediatric dosage forms: gummies, mini-tablets, films, and confectionery-like formulations.
- Demonstrated improvements in dose precision, taste-masking, customizable drug release, and patient acceptability.
- Regulatory approval of Spritam validates clinical feasibility, though challenges in materials, stability, and regulation persist.
Conclusions:
- 3D printing significantly advances patient-centric pediatric pharmacotherapy through precise control over dose, geometry, release, and sensory characteristics.
- Highlights the practical potential and translational readiness of 3D printing for pediatric healthcare applications.
- Offers a pathway to overcome limitations of conventional dosage forms for improved therapeutic outcomes in children.
Background:
Pediatric patients require age-appropriate dosage forms because developmental differences in physiology, pharmacokinetics and swallowing ability can significantly affect therapeutic outcomes. Conventional dosage forms are often unsuitable for children and practices such as tablet splitting, crushing or extemporaneous preparation may lead to dose inaccuracy, altered stability, poor palatability and reduced adherence. These limitations highlight the need for innovative formulation strategies that provide precise dosing while improving acceptability and therapeutic effectiveness. In this context, three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising platform for personalized pediatric drug delivery.
Objective:
This review critically examines recent advances in 3D printing technologies for pediatric drug delivery and provides a formulation-focused and translational perspective by integrating pediatric therapeutic needs with technology selection, polymer considerations and dosage form design flexibility.
Methods:
A comprehensive literature review was conducted to evaluate recent developments in pediatric pharmaceutical applications of 3D printing. Major technologies including fused deposition modeling, semi-solid extrusion, binder jet printing and inkjet printing were assessed with respect to formulation design, polymer selection, drug-polymer compatibility and pediatric suitability. Particular emphasis was placed on taste-masking approaches, personalized dosing capability and dosage adaptability for different pediatric age groups.
Results:
Three-dimensional printing enables fabrication of diverse pediatric-friendly dosage forms including chewable gummies, mini-tablets, orodispersible films and confectionery-like formulations. Published studies demonstrated improved dose precision, effective taste masking, customizable drug release profiles and enhanced patient acceptability. Regulatory approval of Spritam further supports the clinical feasibility of this technology. However, challenges remain regarding printer calibration, reproducibility, limited pharmaceutical-grade printable materials, long-term stability and regulatory harmonization.
Conclusion:
Three-dimensional printing represents an important advancement in patient-centric pediatric pharmacotherapy by enabling precise control over dose, geometry, release kinetics and sensory attributes. This review highlights its practical potential and translational readiness for pediatric healthcare.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Biopharmaceutical Factors Influencing Drug Product Design: Overview
01:24Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted
01:24Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers