The field of medicine has grown tremendously over the past decade. Scientific and medical research has become so advanced that new ideas and technologies are being discovered each year. As a result, the pharmaceutical industry has also introduced some breakthrough technologies.
Gene therapy
Genetic factors predispose individuals to a variety of diseases, negatively impacting the quality of their lives. In the past, it was almost impossible to treat illnesses that had genetic roots. However, with advancements in the field of pharmacy, a solution to these illnesses has been discovered called gene therapy.
It is a pharmaceutical technique that helps to cure and prevent the onset of diseases that have genetic roots. This type of therapy option is novel, and it allows doctors to treat various diseases by changing the genetic material of the patients rather than using conventional methods, such as drugs or surgery.
Adding a fresh gene to cells, to introduce a defect-free copy of the gene to substitute a diseased one, was the goal of the first gene therapy procedure, also known as gene addition. Methods for gene therapy were developed with the aid of later research. To overcome genetic differences, a more contemporary technique — genome editing — adopts a different strategy in which the present DNA is changed instead of adding new DNA.
The purpose of scientific research on genome editing involves:
● Restoring the gene’s normal function and correcting the genetic mutation that gives rise to an illness.
● Activating a gene so that it can help with fighting disease.
● Activating a gene that is not working correctly.
● Eliminating the section of DNA that interferes with gene activity and causes illness.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence is another technique that has become a game-changer in the field of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. As per the analysis conducted by Grand View Research, AI technology in the field of healthcare is set to develop at an exceptional compound annual growth rate of 41.5% between 2018 and 2025. In 2023, the sector is already being improved by AI because of its amazing data analytics and forecasting capabilities.
Healthcare experts can employ AI technology to conduct examinations of patterns in data sets to comprehend the potential outcomes, benefits and chances of success for new drugs before they are released into the market for the masses. As a result, artificial intelligence has the potential to speed up the process by which scientists produce better drugs, enhancing the lives of millions of people.
AR/VR Technology
In several sectors, including marketing, sales assistance and patient involvement, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are already providing major benefits to the pharmaceutical business.
Businesses may use AR and VR to convey a narrative about their products and their capabilities. Moreover, the technology may be utilized to show how a medication functions. Pharmaceutical businesses may use AR and VR to present doctors and other medical professionals with 3D images of molecules at work.
Furthermore, virtual reality may be utilized to construct virtual patients so that doctors can examine how a medication behaves in a real patient. For instance, augmented reality apps are used in pharmaceutical laboratories to display distinctive qualities and modes of action of their pharmaceuticals in comparison to those of similar goods made by other businesses.
AR and VR are excellent for marketing. Pharmaceutical businesses may produce AR/VR movies that immerse viewers in the minds of sickness sufferers, illuminating the daily struggles these people face.
Healthcare professionals and particular patients will be able to communicate directly with one another thanks to AR and VR. Pharmaceutical businesses are now able to use digital technologies to augment conventional training techniques or enhance current educational programs.
The availability of secure platforms for medication administration is another noteworthy benefit of augmented and virtual reality. Virtual technology allows both patients and medical personnel to mimic taking certain drugs without really doing so.
3D printed pharmaceuticals
Clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical practice are undergoing a paradigm change as a result of three-dimensional (3D) printing, moving away from the old mass manufacture of drugs and towards individualized, personalized therapeutic products. By permitting the on-demand design and fabrication of adaptable compositions with customized doses, forms, sizes, drug release and multi-drug combinations, the idea has the potential to benefit patients, pharmacists and the pharmaceutical business alike.
This marks a pivotal moment in the development of 3D printing technology in the pharmaceutical industry, necessitating the participation and support of healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, doctors, nurses, and allied professionals, among others, to facilitate the widespread adoption of the technology in clinical practice.These new developments make this a particularly exciting time for individuals interested in PharmD careers to enter the workforce – the University of Findlay’s online PharmD program can help you get your foot in the door.
Personalized pharmaceutical manufacturing is replacing traditional mass production thanks to three-dimensional (3D) printing. Many healthcare and resource-constrained situations might include 3D printing, such as:
● Fulfilling a patient’s therapeutic needs (such as dose, drug combination and drug release patterns).
● Responding to the patient’s personal preferences (such as the size, texture, shape and flavor of the drug).
Clinical practice and the pharmaceutical sector can both benefit from the reduced costs and accelerated development time of 3D printing. For 3D printing to be successfully integrated into clinical settings, support from medical experts — especially pharmacists — is essential.
Vaccines
Vaccines provide immunization against various life-threatening illnesses, especially if they are viral. Vaccinations have been around for a while now, but recent advancements in the field of pharmaceuticals have made it possible to improve the efficacy of these vaccines. Additionally, new techniques have made it easier to create new drugs to combat the effects of novel diseases.
In the past, the process of making a vaccine, testing its safety, and making it available to the masses took at least 10 to 15 years — however, it has become possible to drastically shorten that span and still come up with an equally effective and safe vaccine.
A great example of this pharmaceutical advancement is the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed in a significantly short time and proved effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This shows that the future for disease prevention in cases of epidemics and pandemics is quite promising.
