A new method for producing medicine has been developed by researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and Abo Akademi University in Finland. They can produce a white edible material, on which they can then print a QR code consisting of a medical drug. This could be a solution and a possible replacement to the current method of mass production of medicine. Currently someone with a given illness will get the same product with the equal amount of an active compound as another patient with a less severe illness.

“This technology is promising, because the medical drug can be dosed exactly the way you want it. This gives [us] an opportunity to tailor the medication according to the patient getting it,” said Natalja Genina, an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen.

The shape of a QR code will also enable the storage of data on the medicine itself. According to Genina all that’s required is a quick scan and the information of the given medicine would come up, this could reduce the cases of wrong or fake medication.

“If we are successful with applying this production method to relatively simple printers, then it can enable the innovative production of personalized medicine and the rethinking of the whole supply chain,” said professor Jukka Rantanen from the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Pharmacy.

Currently, researchers are working to refine the methods for this medical production.