New tablet manufacturing methods

Question 1

What is 3D printing?

Answer 1

The process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file

Question 2

What is meant by personalised medicines?

Answer 2

This is a medical model that separates patients into different groups. Medical decisions, practices, interventions and/or products are tailored to the individual patient based on their predicted response or risk of disease

Question 3

What are the 3 types of 3D printing?

Answer 3

Powder bed fusion, fused deposition modelling (FDM) and hot melt extrusion FDM

Question 4

What is powder bed fusion?

Answer 4

A subset of additive manufacturing where a heat source is used to consolidate material in powder form to form 3D objects

Question 5

What is fused deposition modelling (FDM)?

Answer 5

This is based on the extrusion of heated thermoplastic polymer filaments through a nozzle tip to deposit layers onto a platform. Parts are built layer by layer directly from a digital model of the part

Question 6

What is a polypill?

Answer 6

A single tablet that includes a combination of several drugs

Question 7

What is the application of 3D printing in healthcare?

Answer 7

Personalised 3D printed medicines, bio-printing, prosthetics, patient specific implants

Question 8

What are the advantages of 3D printing in healthcare?

Answer 8

High degree of flexibility and control, cost effective customisation and reduced assembly, simple, reliable and affordable, reduces number of tablets

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of 3D printing in healthcare?

Answer 9

Safety and efficacy may decrease, less durable