Abstract
Background: Organ bioprinting is only two decades old but has made tremendous progress in advancements of synthetic implants, reconstructive surgeries, prosthetic developments, and medical education. These are made possible due to the increasing affordability of bioprinters and their capability for tailor-made applications. However, the ethical considerations of bioprinting research and applications are still in its infancy. This article summarises the current literature on 3D bioprinting applications in medicine and its ethical concerns. Methods: EBSCOhost service search using related terms was applied on four databases (PubMed, EBSCOhost eBooks, Medline, and Academic Search Complete). Inclusion criteria consisted of any publication or academic article in electronic media discussing the use of 3D bioprinting in medicine and its ethical concerns. Results: A total of 41 articles were identified from the aforementioned databases discussing the applications of 3D bioprinting in medicine, screening of which left only 35 articles that met the inclusion criteria. 24 articles discussed the applications of 3D bioprinting, nine articles discussed the ethical concerns related, and two articles discussed both bioprinting and its ethical implications. Conclusions: 3D bioprinting offer limitless opportunities in the field of medical education but face limitations in real clinical application. Specific guidelines on ethical use of 3D bioprinting are urgently for its appropriate regulation.
Highlights
The concept for three-dimensional (3D) printing started in 1984 when Charles Hull created models using layer by layer application of resin known as stereolithography
The keywords used were ‘3D bioprinting’ or ‘3D printing organs’ or ‘3D printing in medicine’ or ‘bioprinting organs’ or ‘bioprinting tissues’ or ‘bioprinting 3D’ or ‘bioprinting ethics’ and ‘application’ or ‘practice’ or ‘approach’ or ‘strategies’ or ‘implementation’ or ‘utilisation’ or ‘use’ and ‘ethical issue’ or ‘ethical concern’ or ‘ethic’ or ‘ethical principle’ or ‘ethical consideration’ or ‘ethical dilemma’ or ‘ethical practice’ or ‘ethical problem’
Seven articles were duplicates and considered to be unrelated after the title was screened, which left 35 articles. 24 articles discussed the applications of 3D bioprinting, nine articles discussed ethical concerns related, and two articles discussed both
Summary
The concept for three-dimensional (3D) printing started in 1984 when Charles Hull created models using layer by layer application of resin known as stereolithography. Forgacs presented his bioprinter that allowed 3D directed biodegradation, i.e. printing using live cells but without the use of a scaffold. A tissue is composed of several types of cells, and the cellular fusion is facilitated by the use of bioinks (Figure 1C) [5]. The bioink layer starts as a viscous liquid and solidifies to hold its shape This continues as more layers are deposited. The goal of bioprinting is to imitate the actual micro- and macro-environment of human tissues and organs. This is crucial in drug testing and clinical trials, with the potential to reduce the need for animal trials.
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