3D printing, nanotechnology and organ printing: An ethical and anticipatory ethical analysis

Abstract

“An enhanced understanding of fundamental biological sciences primarily the interaction and interplay between biological cells and integrative biological chemical and structural cues within and in Vivo milieu or natural 3 dimensional micro environment requires a carefully defined role for engineering design and Manufacturing to meet the challenges presented by increasingly complex biological problems.” [1]Organ printing and tissue engineering can be used in conjunction with the application of additive computer-aided manufacturing process technologies, which create a layered pattern disposition of complex 3D bearing biological structures with biomolecular and biopolymer material integration. The term organ printing has been more narrowly defined as a biomedical variant of rapid prototyping technology or computer-aided robotic layer-by-layer at biofabrication of 3D human tissues and organs using self-assembling tissue spheroids as building blocks. The combination of 3D printing, nanotechnology, and organ printing can make a tremendous impact on the practice of medicine. 3D printed organs based upon his biological principles in which the self-assembly process, refers to a series of processes, where researchers are actively involved in combining atoms and molecules in aggregates of molecules and components, which eventually arrange themselves into ordered function entities without human intervention. The analysis will review current developments and attempt to identify future developments in organ printing techniques including, micro extrusion based printing, inkjet base printing, and laser-based printing as the possible ways that organs can be printed through developments in nanotechnology and 3D printing. In order for this to occur many challenges will need to be overcome. This analysis will focus on the ethical issues related to 3D organ printing in conjunction with developments in nanotechnology from the perspectives of researchers and physicians, patients and future patients (members of society). In addition an anticipatory ethical analysis will be conducted based upon a projection of future possibilities related to the confluence of 3D technology, nanotechnology and organ printing. In general practical ethicists attempt to identify and address social and ethical issues that arise in the world around us. When practical ethicists attempt to identify ethical problems that may develop in the future, these problems are often identified based upon these general ethical principles. Anticipatory ethics has emerged and begun to gain attention in the area of information technology ethics. Anticipatory ethics can be characterized as focusing on the problems that can be anticipated as potentially arising because of emerging technologies. In this analysis anticipatory ethics will be employed to analyze future possibilities related to the confluence of 3D technology, nanotechnology and organ printing.