C+D’s clinical and custom content editor Naimah Callachand spoke to Dr Shenq Qi, a reader in pharmaceutics at the University of East Anglia's school of pharmacy.

Dr Qi lead research that was published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics on the use of 3D printing for personalised medicines. This research is expected to help build the foundation for the technology needed in future to produce personalised medicine at the point of care.

In this podcast, Dr Qi explains the importance and benefits of personalised medicines.

Dr Qi explains that personalised medicine has a role to play in diagnostics, disease prevention and both early and advanced treatment.

“Personalised medicine is a concept where we can use our genetic information to identify and pinpoint our risk for any diseases,” she says. “Genetic information can identify a drug to suit to the patient’s genetic condition and the progression of their condition perfectly.”

By tailoring medicines to an individual’s needs, personalised medicine provides a “manufacturing solution” that can help to minimise medicine side effects, as well as maximising drug efficacy and reducing medicines wastage, says Dr Qi.

Personalised medicines are “not a solution for all and it’s definitely not going to replace what we currently have”, Dr Qi explains. However, “patients with complex conditions on multi-medicine regimens who need specialised doses and dose combinations will benefit most from this approach.”

You can listen to the podcast below. Alternatively, follow C+D's podcasts by searching “Chemist+Druggist podcast” on your preferred app or on Soundcloud.

For more information on personalised medicine, read C+D’s learning module Can personalised medicine help to tackle non-communicable diseases?