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Professor Lee Cronin, of Glasgow University, points out that most drugs are a combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and that 'with a printer it should be possible that with a relatively small number of inks you can make any organic molecule.'
Having successfully demonstrated the concept, The team is now working on ways for 3D printers to print out relatively simple drugs such as Ibuprofen, in an experiment which could revolutionise medication.
Cronin used a £1,200 3D printer for his prototype, and used bathroom sealant as a base material on which to print the chemicals. The printer could then inject the right proportions of molecules into micro-tubes within the template, with the 'chemical inks' then reacting with each other to form the requested drugs. In the future, anyone with a printer could download the right blueprint for the drug, and print off what they need.
Describing his procedure, he said:'If I was being facetious I would say that to find your inks you would go to the periodic table: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and so on.
'But obviously you can't handle all those substances very well, so it would have to be a bit more complex than that.
'If you were looking to make a sugar, for example, you would start with your set of base sugars and mix them together.
'When we make complex molecules in the traditional way with test tubes and flasks, we start with a smaller number of simpler molecules.
'With a printer it should be possible that with a relatively small number of inks you can make any organic molecule.'
Originally posted by PhoenixOD
reply to post by trysts
Err..it explains that drugs are made from simpler base chemicals that get processed into more complex molecules.
Originally posted by trysts
Originally posted by PhoenixOD
reply to post by trysts
Err..it explains that drugs are made from simpler base chemicals that get processed into more complex molecules.
So, how do you transfer the drugs to the patient, from a computer in the pharmacy to the printer in your home?
Originally posted by phroziac
Oh, itll be bootlegged. Just wait til theyre makong narcotics with it. no more complicated chemical reactions, just download your drugs on piratebay.
Someone actually put a 3d printer on pirate bay. Apparently if you have a 3d printer you can pirate another one. i suspect the torrent i saw was a joke, but i dont see why it wouldnt be possible.
I never thought id see the day where we can pirate objects or download drugs. Or debunk ufos by saying "oh its just a flying robot". The future is very weird
Originally posted by PhoenixOD
reply to post by trysts
I think you are confused on how this works.
- The special printer makes the drugs...
- Eventually (after a few years) price will come down and we will be able to own the special printer in our own home.