3D printing moulds healthcare innovations

Pharmaceuticals, bio-medicine, aviation, and automobiles industries have rapidly adopted 3D printing over the years, worldwide, to develop new solutions and prototypes. It is also helping many industries, healthcare, in particular, increase productivity. Despite all its advantages, 3D printing technology is currently posing a number of challenges in the market such as initial costs, limitation to the metals and plastics used for 3D printing, lack of policy standardisation, etc.

- Prabhat Prakash

3D printing has made tremendous contributions throughout healthcare. It has been able to improve clinical outcomes, reduce operation duration and also reduce overall treatment cost. 3D printing has been serving major applications across the globe such as replacing human organ transplants, producing cheaper versions of required surgical tools, speeding up surgical procedures, and improving the lives of patients on prosthetic limbs. Newer tools, advanced technologies are helping in delivering better treatments and devices that are customised to better serve the patient.

As per a recent report by Markets and Research, the global automated 3D printing market was valued at $507.8 million in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 37.14 per cent over the forecast period (2021 - 2026). Although the additive printing market has witnessed growth in India as well, there is still a lot of untapped potential.

Policy standardisation

Despite the potential of 3D printing technology, there is no global policy on the same. Globally industries are looking at 3D printing technology as the technology of the future, governments need to take this into account and try and regulate the sector as and when the need arises. It would be helpful as different countries currently are in different phases of 3D printing technology adoption across industries. For instance, in 2018, China issued guidelines for regulation and registration of 3D printed medical devices which included custom-built additive produced medical devices. China further issued several guidelines for different 3D printed medical devices including a 2020 technical guidance for 3D printed artificial vertebrae and acetabular cups.