From bench to bedside: Three-dimensional (3D) printing of pediatric dosage forms for personalized pharmacotherapy

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a transformative technology in pediatric drug delivery, offering solutions to long-standing challenges such as dose flexibility, palatability, swallowability, and adherence. Conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing often fails to meet these needs due to its reliance on standardized, adult-oriented dosage forms. In contrast, 3D printing techniques including inkjet printing, fused deposition modeling (FDM), semi-solid extrusion (SSE), selective laser sintering (SLS), and stereolithography (SLA) enable the fabrication of personalized, child-friendly formulations with precise dosing, customizable geometries, and tailored drug release profiles. Research has demonstrated the feasibility of producing orodispersible tablets (ODTs), chewable gummies, mini-tablets, and chocolate or gummy-based dosage forms that enhance acceptance and compliance.

Preclinical and clinical evaluations show that 3D-printed formulations can achieve pharmacokinetic bioequivalence, more than 80 % rapid drug release, and compliance with pharmacopeial quality standards, while also improving taste masking and caregiver usability. Early translational studies, such as personalized chewable printlets for metabolic disorders, highlight the clinical promise of this approach. Nevertheless, challenges remain in scalability, reproducibility, excipient validation for children, long-term stability, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory harmonization. Ethical and legal issues surrounding liability and data governance must also be addressed.

Overall, 3D printing represents a paradigm shift toward personalized, patient-centric pediatric pharmacotherapy, bridging therapeutic efficacy with improved adherence and quality of life. This review, based on the recent literature, aims to critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges associated with utilizing 3D printing technologies to pediatric medicine, emphasizing their potential to advance personalized and patient friendly therapies.

Read more on pediatric 3D printing

Awaji Y. Safhi,
From bench to bedside: Three-dimensional (3D) printing of pediatric dosage forms for personalized pharmacotherapy,
Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Volume 116, 2026, 107939, ISSN 1773-2247,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2025.107939.