Future of medicines explored in this week’s MJA

Exciting developments in the customisation of medications are examined in The Medical Journal of Australia.

The AMA’s journal—the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA)—this week looks to the future of medicine in its podcast and Insight+.  

MJA news and online editor Cate Swannell speaks with Associate Professor Amirali Popat and PhD candidate Liam Krueger from the University of Queensland in this week’s podcast, exploring the near-horizon of medicines as 3D printing of personalised medications becomes more and more a reality. 

Medicines can be personalised by tailoring doses to suit the patient, but also the kinds of medication, such as gummies, or combining multiple drugs into the one tablet. 

In the corresponding Insight+ article Krueger and Popat point to the multiple advantages 3D printing could have. 

Along with 3D printing of customised doses and combined medication ‘polypills’, other potential advantages could be the end of medicine supply shortages in times of disaster.