The Review On 3D Printing in Pharmacy

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is quickly revolutionizing the realms of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy. In contrast to conventional manufacturing relying on the fixed doses and standardized formulations, 3D printing enables drugs to be fabricated layer by layer, tailor to individual patients' requirements. This new freedom of fabrication provides opportunities for revolutionary developments like personalized tablets, polypills of multiple drugs, controlled-release systems, and even drug-loaded implants. Since the early 1980s, a number of printing processes—binder jetting, fused deposition modelling (FDM), semi-solid extrusion (SSE), melt extrusion deposition (MED), and stereolithography (SLA)—have been modified for pharmaceutical as well as industrial applications, each with distinct benefits in drug design and drug delivery, from the beginning till the FDA approval of Spritam, the first 3D-printed drug. The technology has advanced into an adaptive platform and has found applications in drug development, wound care, on-demand manufacturing, and pharmacy education and many more. While the benefits include accuracy, quick prototyping, minimal material waste, and enhanced patient compliance and also problems like regulatory hurdles, expense, scalability, and limited material choices still restrict its full utilization. This review charts the history of 3D printing in pharmacy, outlines its applications and limitations, and considers directions of the future including AI-assisted formulations, bioprinting, and sustainable local manufacture, which collectively suggest a new age of personalized, patient-focused healthcare.