Enable Community Foundation: The Ethics Of 3D Printing

Thanks for your question. I only work at Enable Community Foundation part-time, and do not claim to be an expert. I believe that 3D printing is just starting and has tremendous potential. However, the world is complex, and it will take time for the initiative to mature.
3D printing makes devices accessible to others, however producing these devices, enters a medical and technical field. Unfortunately, there are many 3D printing organizations that are making devices that are not safe and will cause long-term damage. Just to give an example, the tissues in the arm are very sensitive and it requires highly technical skills and knowledge to produce devices that can work properly for the patients, especially for the upper limb. Meaning, hands, and arms, which is what Enable Community Foundation focus on. Otherwise, patients will have long-term medical consequences such as back problems, or will abandon the devices.

It will be interesting to learn how this evolved in the next 25 years, because there is a tension between the freedoms of producing these devices, versus the safety of them. There are not only ethical issues, but also tensions between what children want for them, versus what the parents’ wishes are, and what the medical experts suggest.
Similarly, there has been a huge media “momentum” for children where the devices are not functional. The devices, become toys. I think that toys have a purpose, but in an effort to try to answer your question, I believe that it will take time for the 3D printing industry to find its true purpose and make a difference. More importantly, to gain perspective and knowledge about the medical aspect of these devices. It will come down to true