Over the course of human existence there have been many pivotal inventions that change the way humans live. Some of these life-changing inventions include the wheel, compass, printing press, combustion engine, light bulb, telephone, penicillin, Internet, and many more. The next invention that has the potential to be added to that list is 3D printing. 3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is the process of making a three-dimensional object by successive layers of various materials that function under computer control. This technology brings out the three-dimensional side of the digital world. Throughout 3D printing's years of operation and alteration, it has become quite an innovative machine. Today 3D printers can print many things such as toys, tools, prosthesis, food, instruments, and molds. Recently enthusiasts integrated the 3D printer to bear the capabilities of printing organs, tissue, cartilage, and even body aiding contraptions. With its versatility and revolutionary effect on the medical field, this invention will undoubtedly earn its place as one of the world’s most important inventions. Doctors, engineers, and scientists should continue research in their newly found interest of bioprinting cautiously. While this technology could greatly benefit society, the potential for abuse and life altering effects should be considered.
3D printing has already made a large impact in certain individuals' lives and has future plans to affect many more. One individual impacted by this invention is Garrett Peterson who is mentioned in Nicole Edine’s article, 3-D Printers Are Saving Babies’ Lives One Breath At A Time, in the The Huffington Post. Edine states that, “Garrett, was born with a weak, soft cartilage in his windpipe – a rare condition called tracheobronchomalacia – which would cause him to stop breathing at a moment’s notice.” In response to this unusual disorder, Scott Hollister, a University of Michigan biomedical engineer, and Dr. Glenn Green, a trachea specialist, created a 3-D printed flexible splint to hold open his windpipe until it is strong enough to work independently, at that point it will then dissolve. A device like this splint has never been created before and without a 3D printer there probably would not have been a diagnosis for baby Garrett’s condition.
In another similar case, a young boy’s life was also changed because of the 3D printer. Also found in The Huffington Post, the article, Dad Uses 3D Printer To Make His Son A Prosthetic Hand, was posted anonymously about a boy named Leon McCarthy. Leon was born without fingers on his left hand and struggled doing simple tasks such as drawing, picking up food, and even holding a water bottle. His father, Paul McCarthy, searched everywhere for more efficient and affordable ways to provide for his son’s disability. That's when he found himself with a 3D printer. Mr. McCarthy had done his research and, “found a YouTube video detailing the work of Ivan Owen, who used a 3D printer to create a prosthetic hand for a 5-year-old in 2011.” Now he is successfully printing his son new prosthetic hands for different uses and he is also able to print new prosthetic hands as his son grows out of an old one. Thanks to the 3D printer Mr. McCarthy can print a plethora of prosthetic hands at an affordable price and is also able to tweak old prosthetic hands to make improved versions.
In more advanced studies, 3D printing has also aided in surgeries. In this surgical story, “physicians at Stony Brook University decided to try a completely new kind of operation.” Gabriel Dela Cruz, a newborn, was diagnosed with unilateral coronal synostosis, also known as anterior plagiocephaly. This basically causes Gabriel’s forehead to become more and more distorted and form asymmetrically as he grows older. In an urgent need to act quickly, Dr. Michael Egnor and Dr. Elliot Duboys turned to 3D printing. They were able to plan the entire surgery before hand by printing before and after models of Gabriel’s skull to predict the operation and its results. Similar to printing skull models, 3D printers are also assisting with heart surgery and training medical students by creating accurate models to work with.
Garrett, Leon, and Gabriel are three boys that are blessed to have grown up around the advancement of the 3D printer. Although this already seems advanced in itself, what if 3D printers could do even more for these boys and others with similar disabilities? What if I told you a 3D printer was capable of more? What if a 3D printer could print Garret a whole new windpipe, print Leon a complete new hand, or print Gabriel a new skull? Research for projects such as these have already begun. In fact some predict that it's only a matter of decades until that fantasy becomes a reality.
Now, take a second and think about a loved one or someone you know who has suffered from an ailment, injury, or has even passed away. It will come to your attention that in most cases it occurred because of an organ injury or failure. Luckily the organ transplant system was created or the number of fatalities would be even higher. In fact the number of organ donors is significantly lower than the number of patients that are in need of an organ transplant. As stated by Richard Adhikari in his article, “Nearly 121,000 people in the United States are on the waiting list for an organ transplant that may save their lives, according to the American Transplant Foundation.” Brandon Griggs in his writing adds that, “Some 18 people die in the United States each day waiting in vain for transplants because of a shortage of donated organs.” On top of those problems, the system of organ transplantation is not flawless. Patients have to undergo immunosuppressive therapies, which can lower the recipient's quality of life. They undergo those therapies and are forced to take certain drugs so that their body does not reject the new organ being transplanted. Ironically enough, in order for the new organ to be accepted into the body the immune system must be lowered. Although the effects are not everlasting they tend to leave your body defenseless to many risks. The truth of the matter is that all of this can be solved through 3D printing's flexible characteristics.
The solution to these worldwide issues can be solved from 3D printing. The method of printing organs and bodily tissues that originated from 3D printing is called bioprinting. Vladimir Mironov, in his periodical, THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE: Are Custom-Printed Organs on the Horizon? comments that, “The main difference between bioprinting and other types of 3-D printing is the fact that bioprinters largely process and dispense living cells, which are extremely sensitive to harsh environments.” Although the gap between 3D printing and bioprinting seems very small, it is in fact monumental. They seem almost like two completely separate pieces of technology and only share the same 3D printing characteristic. Bioprinting, the subject I would like to emphasize on, is a computer-aided bioadditive manufacturing process that deposits living cells together with hydrogel-base scaffolds for 3D tissue and organ fabrication. Although printed organs and tissue are far from actually being transplanted into patients, the invention has already come a long way. It is just a small step in its development, but has already made major breakthroughs with functional organs, tissues, and contraptions. The idea might seem far-fetched but future ramifications are already in the works.
Found here in the same article, Yona Gidalevitz reports two medical advances that include the use of bioprinting. Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, one of the leading institutions dedicated to research in regenerative medicine, was the first to successfully grow human organs in a lab. To add to that, in 2006 they successfully transplanted lab-grown bladders into seven patients, a major feat! Printing bladders, while important, is nowhere near the limitations of bioprinting. In a second study stated by Gidalevitz, researchers at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China claim to have successfully created living human kidneys through the use of 3D printing. These kidneys are even able to perform the functions of a real human kidney, such as the breakdown of toxins, metabolic functions, and the secretion of fluids. Although this a substantial leap in bioprinting, these kidneys are far from being actually transplanted into a patient’s body. It is amazing to see these organs operating naturally. It doesn't seem like they are decades away from being implanted but there are a lot of tests that have to be preformed before it can transpire. I will assure you though that this technology is worth the wait and the extra precautions. Gidalevitz in the end concluds that, “This could be a step in the right direction in the world of regenerative medicine, as an incredible number of people die each year from a lack of available organs for transplant.”
Fox News Associated Press, in one of their latest discoveries of the 3D printer, published this new study. Researchers at the University of Louisville are coming awfully close to printing a human heart. It is hard to wrap your head around this concept but it rapidly happening. So far they were able to print human heart valves and small veins with cells. If you are familiar with the structure of the heart you will know that these researchers have a lot more to print other than valves and veins. But if this ever occurs it will be called a “bioficial heart” and it will be the most amazing thing a 3D printer has ever done because it will quite literally have the power to give life.
In such a short amount of time, 3D printing and bioprinting have been able to revolutionize the medical field. There have been tremendous findings that continue to accumulate. We can admire its vast success because it is truly benefiting society. However, I highly advise that further research be cautiously approached. This technology has already been accepted into the biomedical engineering world. Richard Adhikari touched on the fact that, “There already are guidelines to handle patients being exposed to new medical technologies.” He adds as one of his examples, “The Biomedical Engineering Society approved a code of ethics back in 2004.” It is prevalent that this new technology obviously complies with the rules biomedical engineers have to abide by. So in the next few decades we will be witnesses of the nonstop research in bioprinting. At this rate if anything were to go wrong there will be no way to bring development to a halt. We must turn to alternatives to ensure the progressive growth of this technology.
One thing I noticed in numerous articles I have read is that the authors fail to address the importance of the research doctors, engineers, and scientists continue to do. The continuation of their rapid research in bioprinting should be heavily monitored. Brandon Griggs quotes Pete Basiliere in his article I mentioned earlier, "Three-D bioprinting facilities with the ability to print human organs and tissue will advance far faster than general understanding and acceptance of the ramifications of this technology," which is true. This statement should set a warning precedent to any individual taking part in bioprinting research. We must understand and regulate all of the aspects that come with bioprinting before we continue or we could loose the controlled grip we have on it. If that were to happen we could suffer from abuse and alter life, as we know it.
Referring back to Paul McCarthy, the father who printed prosthetic hands for his son Leon McCarthy, is a case where 3D printing was positively used. If you remember Mr. McCarthy acquired a 3D printer and used Ivan Owens’ blueprints to program the machine. He also took the initiative to customize these blueprints of a prosthetic hand for more tasks and to fit his son. In general Mr. McCarthy used these blueprints to benefit his son’s life. Unfortunately not everyone in society will use it appropriately like this father and son. Many people out there might have other intentions for this technology. If Mr. McCarthy is able to find blueprints and print from the confinements of his home, so can millions of other people around the world. This is a chilling concept to contemplate because individuals with easy access to the Internet and a computer screen to hide behind are very dangerous.
In Peter Johnston’s periodical, Peter notes that, “One utterly predictable result of the spread and improvement of 3-D printing will be a fevered surge of activity on the part of thieves and intellectual property lawyers.” Johnston continues on and remarks, “If it is digital, it can be copied.” Also “If it can be copied it will be copied.” I related this information to 3D printing or bioprinting and that it is solely digital information. We all know people download illegal movies or music. It's a plain fact that can be applied to 3D printing and bioprinting as well. If this information is set loose digitally it will spread like a wildfire and who knows whose hands it will end up in.
If the blueprint for a 3D printed prosthetic hand ended up in the wrong hands it would not do any damage at all to anyone. But that isn't the only blueprint that has ever been available on the web. In Linda Federico-O’Murchu’s article, she recalls a massive issue 3D printing suffered in the past, “An example of this is 3-D printed guns. Last year, blueprints for a 3-D-printable gun, The Liberator, were posted online and downloaded some 100,000 times before the State Department ordered them taken down.” As you can see 3D printing is being integrated to do many different tasks. You might also notice that any blueprint in digital form is widespread and easily accessible to many people. Just to reiterate this is a form of abuse toward the 3D printer. Since this technology was poorly monitored it now lies in the hands of random people whose intentions are questionable. The State Department cannot take back what had already happened they can order the blueprint to be taking down but can't retrieve it from each user that downloaded it.
Even more vital then printable guns, Sheila Moorcroft in her article, elaborate on the topic of abuse. She writes, “Bio-hackers and criminals or terrorists could abuse the technology. Bio-hackers have already posted online how to bioprint E.coli into a petri dish; the problem may be adequate security rather than deliberate malpractice, leading to infections.” This is even more serious and drawing closer to the full topic of bioprinting! Regardless whether this information was posted on the Internet for scientific experiments or for cruel intent, it could still end up in the wrong hands. Although it did not seem like this person cared if it was a secret or not, this proves the abuse of bioprinting. There haven’t been reports on the news of bioprinting used in crimes but it holds the potential. We can just hope it doesn't get used to hurt someone else.
Thinking ahead to the blueprints of organs, cartilage, and tissues; they could also be abused and used to alter our current way of life. I again refer to Richard Adhikari’s article where he touches on two great points in the future. He states, “There might exist areas in which regulations and ethics may be ignored: illicit clinics catering to athletes and people seeking body modifications for personal satisfaction or to gain an edge on themselves.” It is true that performance-enhancing techniques already exist. Athletes use techniques such as blood doping, steroids, and certain therapies. Nothing would stop athletes from transplanting an organ such as a lung that draws in more oxygen, muscles tissues that give you capabilities no regular human tissue could perform, or bones that can endure any blows it takes. In addition to your internal body, Adhikari also states, “Others might seek enhancements to help achieve their ideal beauty.” That indicates that bioprinters will also impact cosmetics. Although it is less of a concern to regulatory agencies due to the fact that many cosmetic procedures already prevail, such as liposuction, BOTOX, and plastic surgery, it would socially affect our views of society. Soon bioprinting will be manipulated to perform tasks like printing connective tissue proficiently like skin. That means we will have tissue that will be indistinguishable from normal tissue. It could generally give humans a choice in how they look. The concept seems far-fetched but much like athletes using performance enhancements, it is inevitable. This concept is feasible in terms of having a scar or burn but I fear it may be pushed even further.
Now that there are possibilities of changing yourself internally and externally, it could change the meaning of life. We form in our mother’s womb, we grow up uniquely, and we pass away. While we are alive we could injure ourselves, acquire infections, illnesses, or disabilities. 3D printing’s branch of bioprinting can ultimately change the way we deal with those misfortunes as you can read above in the cases of prosthesis, splints, and molds. But when you start to surpass the view of bioprinting as an aid to a performance enhancer or appearance changer, which is where it gets out of hand. In other words if you abuse the benefits a 3D printer already presents it can distort the future of humans. If we could change our appearance, change our internal organs as we please, and much more. Things like race and age would cease to exist, changing the way we view life.
As you can see along with the positive features 3D printing and bioprinting comes the negative. In past instances 3D printers were abused and luckily the repercussions were small. Those events cannot happen again because if similar mistakes were made currently the effects would be much more detrimental. But we can't undermine the successes of bioprinting based off of the potential threats on our lives and abuses it could entail. Thinking back you will remember that 3D printing and bioprinting are doing amazing things to benefit our society. You can tell by stories of Garrett, Leon, Gabriel, and the aid it delivers to other impairments. Fortunately the positives have the edge on the negatives. In order evade for more mistakes and an unrecognizable world coming to life, we must cautiously continue the supplemental research in 3D printing and bioprinting. This technology is revolutionary and I think it would be more beneficial than harmful to push research to its limits to positively impact and change the world.
3D printing has already made a large impact in certain individuals' lives and has future plans to affect many more. One individual impacted by this invention is Garrett Peterson who is mentioned in Nicole Edine’s article, 3-D Printers Are Saving Babies’ Lives One Breath At A Time, in the The Huffington Post. Edine states that, “Garrett, was born with a weak, soft cartilage in his windpipe – a rare condition called tracheobronchomalacia – which would cause him to stop breathing at a moment’s notice.” In response to this unusual disorder, Scott Hollister, a University of Michigan biomedical engineer, and Dr. Glenn Green, a trachea specialist, created a 3-D printed flexible splint to hold open his windpipe until it is strong enough to work independently, at that point it will then dissolve. A device like this splint has never been created before and without a 3D printer there probably would not have been a diagnosis for baby Garrett’s condition.
In another similar case, a young boy’s life was also changed because of the 3D printer. Also found in The Huffington Post, the article, Dad Uses 3D Printer To Make His Son A Prosthetic Hand, was posted anonymously about a boy named Leon McCarthy. Leon was born without fingers on his left hand and struggled doing simple tasks such as drawing, picking up food, and even holding a water bottle. His father, Paul McCarthy, searched everywhere for more efficient and affordable ways to provide for his son’s disability. That's when he found himself with a 3D printer. Mr. McCarthy had done his research and, “found a YouTube video detailing the work of Ivan Owen, who used a 3D printer to create a prosthetic hand for a 5-year-old in 2011.” Now he is successfully printing his son new prosthetic hands for different uses and he is also able to print new prosthetic hands as his son grows out of an old one. Thanks to the 3D printer Mr. McCarthy can print a plethora of prosthetic hands at an affordable price and is also able to tweak old prosthetic hands to make improved versions.
In more advanced studies, 3D printing has also aided in surgeries. In this surgical story, “physicians at Stony Brook University decided to try a completely new kind of operation.” Gabriel Dela Cruz, a newborn, was diagnosed with unilateral coronal synostosis, also known as anterior plagiocephaly. This basically causes Gabriel’s forehead to become more and more distorted and form asymmetrically as he grows older. In an urgent need to act quickly, Dr. Michael Egnor and Dr. Elliot Duboys turned to 3D printing. They were able to plan the entire surgery before hand by printing before and after models of Gabriel’s skull to predict the operation and its results. Similar to printing skull models, 3D printers are also assisting with heart surgery and training medical students by creating accurate models to work with.
Garrett, Leon, and Gabriel are three boys that are blessed to have grown up around the advancement of the 3D printer. Although this already seems advanced in itself, what if 3D printers could do even more for these boys and others with similar disabilities? What if I told you a 3D printer was capable of more? What if a 3D printer could print Garret a whole new windpipe, print Leon a complete new hand, or print Gabriel a new skull? Research for projects such as these have already begun. In fact some predict that it's only a matter of decades until that fantasy becomes a reality.
Now, take a second and think about a loved one or someone you know who has suffered from an ailment, injury, or has even passed away. It will come to your attention that in most cases it occurred because of an organ injury or failure. Luckily the organ transplant system was created or the number of fatalities would be even higher. In fact the number of organ donors is significantly lower than the number of patients that are in need of an organ transplant. As stated by Richard Adhikari in his article, “Nearly 121,000 people in the United States are on the waiting list for an organ transplant that may save their lives, according to the American Transplant Foundation.” Brandon Griggs in his writing adds that, “Some 18 people die in the United States each day waiting in vain for transplants because of a shortage of donated organs.” On top of those problems, the system of organ transplantation is not flawless. Patients have to undergo immunosuppressive therapies, which can lower the recipient's quality of life. They undergo those therapies and are forced to take certain drugs so that their body does not reject the new organ being transplanted. Ironically enough, in order for the new organ to be accepted into the body the immune system must be lowered. Although the effects are not everlasting they tend to leave your body defenseless to many risks. The truth of the matter is that all of this can be solved through 3D printing's flexible characteristics.
The solution to these worldwide issues can be solved from 3D printing. The method of printing organs and bodily tissues that originated from 3D printing is called bioprinting. Vladimir Mironov, in his periodical, THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE: Are Custom-Printed Organs on the Horizon? comments that, “The main difference between bioprinting and other types of 3-D printing is the fact that bioprinters largely process and dispense living cells, which are extremely sensitive to harsh environments.” Although the gap between 3D printing and bioprinting seems very small, it is in fact monumental. They seem almost like two completely separate pieces of technology and only share the same 3D printing characteristic. Bioprinting, the subject I would like to emphasize on, is a computer-aided bioadditive manufacturing process that deposits living cells together with hydrogel-base scaffolds for 3D tissue and organ fabrication. Although printed organs and tissue are far from actually being transplanted into patients, the invention has already come a long way. It is just a small step in its development, but has already made major breakthroughs with functional organs, tissues, and contraptions. The idea might seem far-fetched but future ramifications are already in the works.
Found here in the same article, Yona Gidalevitz reports two medical advances that include the use of bioprinting. Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, one of the leading institutions dedicated to research in regenerative medicine, was the first to successfully grow human organs in a lab. To add to that, in 2006 they successfully transplanted lab-grown bladders into seven patients, a major feat! Printing bladders, while important, is nowhere near the limitations of bioprinting. In a second study stated by Gidalevitz, researchers at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China claim to have successfully created living human kidneys through the use of 3D printing. These kidneys are even able to perform the functions of a real human kidney, such as the breakdown of toxins, metabolic functions, and the secretion of fluids. Although this a substantial leap in bioprinting, these kidneys are far from being actually transplanted into a patient’s body. It is amazing to see these organs operating naturally. It doesn't seem like they are decades away from being implanted but there are a lot of tests that have to be preformed before it can transpire. I will assure you though that this technology is worth the wait and the extra precautions. Gidalevitz in the end concluds that, “This could be a step in the right direction in the world of regenerative medicine, as an incredible number of people die each year from a lack of available organs for transplant.”
Fox News Associated Press, in one of their latest discoveries of the 3D printer, published this new study. Researchers at the University of Louisville are coming awfully close to printing a human heart. It is hard to wrap your head around this concept but it rapidly happening. So far they were able to print human heart valves and small veins with cells. If you are familiar with the structure of the heart you will know that these researchers have a lot more to print other than valves and veins. But if this ever occurs it will be called a “bioficial heart” and it will be the most amazing thing a 3D printer has ever done because it will quite literally have the power to give life.
In such a short amount of time, 3D printing and bioprinting have been able to revolutionize the medical field. There have been tremendous findings that continue to accumulate. We can admire its vast success because it is truly benefiting society. However, I highly advise that further research be cautiously approached. This technology has already been accepted into the biomedical engineering world. Richard Adhikari touched on the fact that, “There already are guidelines to handle patients being exposed to new medical technologies.” He adds as one of his examples, “The Biomedical Engineering Society approved a code of ethics back in 2004.” It is prevalent that this new technology obviously complies with the rules biomedical engineers have to abide by. So in the next few decades we will be witnesses of the nonstop research in bioprinting. At this rate if anything were to go wrong there will be no way to bring development to a halt. We must turn to alternatives to ensure the progressive growth of this technology.
One thing I noticed in numerous articles I have read is that the authors fail to address the importance of the research doctors, engineers, and scientists continue to do. The continuation of their rapid research in bioprinting should be heavily monitored. Brandon Griggs quotes Pete Basiliere in his article I mentioned earlier, "Three-D bioprinting facilities with the ability to print human organs and tissue will advance far faster than general understanding and acceptance of the ramifications of this technology," which is true. This statement should set a warning precedent to any individual taking part in bioprinting research. We must understand and regulate all of the aspects that come with bioprinting before we continue or we could loose the controlled grip we have on it. If that were to happen we could suffer from abuse and alter life, as we know it.
Referring back to Paul McCarthy, the father who printed prosthetic hands for his son Leon McCarthy, is a case where 3D printing was positively used. If you remember Mr. McCarthy acquired a 3D printer and used Ivan Owens’ blueprints to program the machine. He also took the initiative to customize these blueprints of a prosthetic hand for more tasks and to fit his son. In general Mr. McCarthy used these blueprints to benefit his son’s life. Unfortunately not everyone in society will use it appropriately like this father and son. Many people out there might have other intentions for this technology. If Mr. McCarthy is able to find blueprints and print from the confinements of his home, so can millions of other people around the world. This is a chilling concept to contemplate because individuals with easy access to the Internet and a computer screen to hide behind are very dangerous.
In Peter Johnston’s periodical, Peter notes that, “One utterly predictable result of the spread and improvement of 3-D printing will be a fevered surge of activity on the part of thieves and intellectual property lawyers.” Johnston continues on and remarks, “If it is digital, it can be copied.” Also “If it can be copied it will be copied.” I related this information to 3D printing or bioprinting and that it is solely digital information. We all know people download illegal movies or music. It's a plain fact that can be applied to 3D printing and bioprinting as well. If this information is set loose digitally it will spread like a wildfire and who knows whose hands it will end up in.
If the blueprint for a 3D printed prosthetic hand ended up in the wrong hands it would not do any damage at all to anyone. But that isn't the only blueprint that has ever been available on the web. In Linda Federico-O’Murchu’s article, she recalls a massive issue 3D printing suffered in the past, “An example of this is 3-D printed guns. Last year, blueprints for a 3-D-printable gun, The Liberator, were posted online and downloaded some 100,000 times before the State Department ordered them taken down.” As you can see 3D printing is being integrated to do many different tasks. You might also notice that any blueprint in digital form is widespread and easily accessible to many people. Just to reiterate this is a form of abuse toward the 3D printer. Since this technology was poorly monitored it now lies in the hands of random people whose intentions are questionable. The State Department cannot take back what had already happened they can order the blueprint to be taking down but can't retrieve it from each user that downloaded it.
Even more vital then printable guns, Sheila Moorcroft in her article, elaborate on the topic of abuse. She writes, “Bio-hackers and criminals or terrorists could abuse the technology. Bio-hackers have already posted online how to bioprint E.coli into a petri dish; the problem may be adequate security rather than deliberate malpractice, leading to infections.” This is even more serious and drawing closer to the full topic of bioprinting! Regardless whether this information was posted on the Internet for scientific experiments or for cruel intent, it could still end up in the wrong hands. Although it did not seem like this person cared if it was a secret or not, this proves the abuse of bioprinting. There haven’t been reports on the news of bioprinting used in crimes but it holds the potential. We can just hope it doesn't get used to hurt someone else.
Thinking ahead to the blueprints of organs, cartilage, and tissues; they could also be abused and used to alter our current way of life. I again refer to Richard Adhikari’s article where he touches on two great points in the future. He states, “There might exist areas in which regulations and ethics may be ignored: illicit clinics catering to athletes and people seeking body modifications for personal satisfaction or to gain an edge on themselves.” It is true that performance-enhancing techniques already exist. Athletes use techniques such as blood doping, steroids, and certain therapies. Nothing would stop athletes from transplanting an organ such as a lung that draws in more oxygen, muscles tissues that give you capabilities no regular human tissue could perform, or bones that can endure any blows it takes. In addition to your internal body, Adhikari also states, “Others might seek enhancements to help achieve their ideal beauty.” That indicates that bioprinters will also impact cosmetics. Although it is less of a concern to regulatory agencies due to the fact that many cosmetic procedures already prevail, such as liposuction, BOTOX, and plastic surgery, it would socially affect our views of society. Soon bioprinting will be manipulated to perform tasks like printing connective tissue proficiently like skin. That means we will have tissue that will be indistinguishable from normal tissue. It could generally give humans a choice in how they look. The concept seems far-fetched but much like athletes using performance enhancements, it is inevitable. This concept is feasible in terms of having a scar or burn but I fear it may be pushed even further.
Now that there are possibilities of changing yourself internally and externally, it could change the meaning of life. We form in our mother’s womb, we grow up uniquely, and we pass away. While we are alive we could injure ourselves, acquire infections, illnesses, or disabilities. 3D printing’s branch of bioprinting can ultimately change the way we deal with those misfortunes as you can read above in the cases of prosthesis, splints, and molds. But when you start to surpass the view of bioprinting as an aid to a performance enhancer or appearance changer, which is where it gets out of hand. In other words if you abuse the benefits a 3D printer already presents it can distort the future of humans. If we could change our appearance, change our internal organs as we please, and much more. Things like race and age would cease to exist, changing the way we view life.
As you can see along with the positive features 3D printing and bioprinting comes the negative. In past instances 3D printers were abused and luckily the repercussions were small. Those events cannot happen again because if similar mistakes were made currently the effects would be much more detrimental. But we can't undermine the successes of bioprinting based off of the potential threats on our lives and abuses it could entail. Thinking back you will remember that 3D printing and bioprinting are doing amazing things to benefit our society. You can tell by stories of Garrett, Leon, Gabriel, and the aid it delivers to other impairments. Fortunately the positives have the edge on the negatives. In order evade for more mistakes and an unrecognizable world coming to life, we must cautiously continue the supplemental research in 3D printing and bioprinting. This technology is revolutionary and I think it would be more beneficial than harmful to push research to its limits to positively impact and change the world.