As 3D printing drugs in rural hospitals becomes a reality, what are the opportunities and threats for AstraZeneca?
In rural hospitals, critical drugs are often not in stock. Desperate patients and their families are further pushed into prolonged suffering. Feeling they have nothing to lose, some resort to DIY solutions.
As additive manufacturing is applied to drug production at patients’ closest point of sale, we can imagine a world where rural patients purchase out-of-stock drugs within a few hours of visiting a local hospital. What if the hospital had a 3D printer? What if CAD files from global pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca were available?