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49 Conn. L. Rev. Online 1 (2017)

handle is hein.journals/conntemp49 and id is 1 raw text is: CONNECTICUT LAW REVIEW VOLUME 49 ONLINE MAY 2017 Comment Pharma to Table: 3-D Printing and the Regulatory Future of Home Remedies Ross CAMPBELL 3-D printing has deep potential to disrupt the Pharmaceutical industry and its current regulatory framework. While the FDA has already studied and approved a 3-D printed drug, this has occurred in the traditional context of mass-production and physical distribution. The FDA has yet to discuss the implications of this technology for home remedies. The ability to print drugs using personal 3-D printers is anticipated in the near future. As of now, it is not clear whether the FDA has jurisdiction to control the distribution of digital algorithms that could be used to print any pharmaceutical. Even if such regulatory power is established, it is likely that these efforts will nevertheless face those similar problems found in the context of online piracy of digital media, namely, the difficulty of detecting and managing the free exchange of data. Despite these challenges, the FDA could lead in this field and foster a legitimate market in 3-D printed home remedies. Consumers' demand for oversight and certification in online drug distribution should contrast with their treatment of digital media, and, therefore, offer opportunities for timely intervention on their behalf