[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":456},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-5-levels-of-automation-in-medicine":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":181,"relatedBooks":378},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":32,"project_category":43,"contact_email_category":46,"yst_prominent_words":47,"class_list":52,"better_featured_image":72,"acf":115,"yoast_meta":125,"_links":128},33587,"2023-04-13T10:23:11","2023-04-13T08:23:11",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=33587&_wpnonce=2ba2d1ece6&status=auto-draft&type=post","2023-04-16T07:52:09","2023-04-16T05:52:09","5-levels-of-automation-in-medicine","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F5-levels-of-automation-in-medicine",{"rendered":17},"The 5 Levels Of Automation In Medicine",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>“\u003Cem>Good morning! How may I help you today?\u003C\u002Fem>” asks the virtual assistant as you boot your telemedicine app. After experiencing a sore throat and runny nose for a few days, you’ve decided to seek medical attention. You share your symptoms with the assistant who subsequently suggests a cause after scanning its database. “\u003Cem>There’s an 83% chance that you are experiencing allergic symptoms,\u003C\u002Fem>” replies the chatbot. “\u003Cem>I will send you your prescription shortly, but if you are not satisfied or still feel unwell, please request for a human physician\u003C\u002Fem>.” \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Considering the likelihood of the diagnosis and the deductive prowess of the artificial intelligence, you decide to heed its advice and take the prescribed medicines. However, after two weeks, the symptoms persist and you decide to turn to an ENT specialist. After checking your CT scan, the latter determines that you have chronic sinusitis, which will require a surgical procedure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Had it been diagnosed earlier, you might not even have needed surgery. So who is liable in this hypothetical scenario of the future? The algorithm that suggested allergies rather than an ENT examination, the doctor for not supervising the chatbot or the patient? Going further, what if an algorithm misses a cancerous lesion on an X-ray; or if a surgical robot accidentally damages a nerve bundle and partially paralyses the patient?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With AI and its potential to automate processes in medicine, such questions will become commonplace. While it’s healthy to ask oneself such questions, it can prove difficult to find proper answers and get the bigger picture of how automation will impact healthcare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The spectrum of automation in medicine\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Finfo.deeplearning.ai\u002Fthe-batch-face-datasets-under-fire-baking-with-ai-human-disabilities-baffle-algorithms-ginormous-transformers\" target=\"_blank\">February 2021 issue of \u003Cem>The Batch\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa>, the newsletter from \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.deeplearning.ai\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">deeplearning.ai\u003C\u002Fa>, the website’s founder, Andrew Ng, considered 5 levels of automation in medicine. Other experts \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thelancet.com\u002Fjournals\u002Flandig\u002Farticle\u002FPIIS2589-7500(20)30187-4\u002Ffulltext\" target=\"_blank\">have a similar classification system\u003C\u002Fa>, albeit with different terminologies. The aim is nevertheless the same: to depict in a concise and easy-to-grasp way how the human-AI collaboration will unfold in the field of medicine in the years and even decades to come. Below is an infographic that helps in visualising the spectrum of automation in medicine:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“\u003Cem>Today’s algorithms are good enough only for certain points on the spectrum in a given application,\u003C\u002Fem>” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Finfo.deeplearning.ai\u002Fthe-batch-face-datasets-under-fire-baking-with-ai-human-disabilities-baffle-algorithms-ginormous-transformers\" target=\"_blank\">writes Andrew Ng\u003C\u002Fa>. “\u003Cem>As an AI team gains experience and collects data, it might gradually move to higher levels of automation within ethical and legal boundaries.\u003C\u002Fem>”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although a lot has happened in the past few months, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.deeplearning.ai\u002Fthe-batch\u002Fartificial-general-intelligence-progress-report\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">he still believes\u003C\u002Fa> that while generative AI is exciting, it is still far from Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). This terminology comes from Nick Bostrom, author of the book \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSuperintelligence:_Paths,_Dangers,_Strategies\">Superintelligence\u003C\u002Fa>. Bostrom introduced a high-level, long perspective, differentiating between Artificial Narrow (ANI), General (AGI) and Superintelligence (ASI), where AGI is the level of human intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While Bostrom’s concept has a long-lasting impact on how we think about AI, I believe that from a practical point of view, the 5-level concept of Ng helps us more to find ways to utilize AI in everyday medical practice.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>To help you get a hold of the upcoming waves of automation in medicine, this article will expand on those 5 levels with current examples and imagined scenes that will become commonplace in the years to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1292\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0322_5_levels_of_automation_infographic-01-768x1292.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33635\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0322_5_levels_of_automation_infographic-01-768x1292.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0322_5_levels_of_automation_infographic-01-913x1536.png 913w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0322_5_levels_of_automation_infographic-01-1218x2048.png 1218w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0322_5_levels_of_automation_infographic-01.png 642w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 5 Levels of automation infographic\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1. Humans only: no AI involved\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In level 1 of this spectrum, no AI, no advanced technology or digital data is involved. Imagine a doctor examining a patient. Humans are doing the work at this base level whether it’s manual work or inputting data to generate a process. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We don’t need to go far to imagine this stage as most medical procedures are still done manually. Whether it’s a surgeon performing a laparoscopy or a medical researcher gathering data for a meta-analysis, humans are at the forefront with no assistance from an AI.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2. Shadow mode: the physician teacher and the AI student\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In medical schools, students learn the tricks of the trade by following a designated physician around the hospital. They take notes, ask questions and can perform some physical examinations under the physician’s supervision. This is commonly known as shadowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>AI can undergo a similar “training” process with a so-called “shadow mode”. For example, while a physician makes a diagnosis based on an X-ray, a “trainee” AI follows the process without interfering with it. The algorithm thereby takes notes, checks the physician’s accuracy and logs everything that can support a future diagnostic decision made by the AI itself. This can be used to further develop AI technologies that will move them along the automation spectrum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F05\u002FAI-doctor-image-768x432.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28295\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F05\u002FAI-doctor-image-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F05\u002FAI-doctor-image-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F05\u002FAI-doctor-image-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F05\u002FAI-doctor-image.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Already in 2020, researchers from Imperial College London \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Farxiv.org\u002Fabs\u002F2003.06474\" target=\"_blank\">proposed a framework\u003C\u002Fa> that evaluates the accuracy and uncertainty of human clinicians against that of AI in shadow mode’s recommendations. This can help determine how efficient the AI “student” is and where it needs improvement to help it move to the next stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3. The AI assistant \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At this stage of the automation spectrum, the AI system supports physicians in clinical decision-making via suggestions. For example, after scanning a database of chest CT scans, the AI considers the chest CT results of a patient being investigated and highlights suspicious signs. These signs are then further investigated by the physician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>An example is when \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mobihealthnews.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcontributed-top-10-use-cases-ai-healthcare\" target=\"_blank\">AI is used as a tool for case triage\u003C\u002Fa>. It supports a clinician reviewing images and scans. This enables radiologists or cardiologists to identify essential insights for prioritizing critical cases, to avoid potential errors in reading electronic health records (EHRs), and to establish more precise diagnoses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The deep learning algorithm \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.va.gov\u002Fopa\u002Fpressrel\u002Fpressrelease.cfm?id=5287\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">predicting Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)\u003C\u002Fa> in patients up to 48 hours in advance also belongs here. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4. Partial automation\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With partial automation, an AI system can come up with its own diagnosis; but if it’s not confident enough about it, the AI turns to physicians for help. Several companies are working on such solutions today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F065_compassionate_care_v2-768x432.png\" alt=\"A.I. in medicine\" class=\"wp-image-23751\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F065_compassionate_care_v2-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F065_compassionate_care_v2-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F065_compassionate_care_v2-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F065_compassionate_care_v2-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F065_compassionate_care_v2-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The AI-based system from \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbehold.ai\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Behold.ai\u003C\u002Fa>, red dot, classifies chest X-rays and localises its findings. It can even \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.appliedradiology.com\u002Fcommunities\u002FArtificial-Intelligence\u002Fbehold-ai-s-red-dot-ai-algorithm-flags-chest-x-rays-as-abnormal-in-covid-19-patients\" target=\"_blank\">identify abnormal chest X-rays\u003C\u002Fa> of COVID-19 patients. It can help in ‘instant triage’ to accelerate diagnosis and allocate resources accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Palo Alto-based Nines \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedcitynews.com\u002F2020\u002F04\u002Fnines-gets-fda-clearance-for-ai-to-flag-two-life-threatening-conditions\u002F?rf=1\" target=\"_blank\">developed an AI-system\u003C\u002Fa> that can identify potential cases of intracranial haemorrhage and mass effect from CT scans. It then flags those cases for radiologists to review.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The results of the first blinded, randomized clinical trial on \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cedars-sinai.org\u002Fnewsroom\u002Fis-artificial-intelligence-better-at-assessing-heart-health\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">AI case assessment in cardiology\u003C\u002Fa> were published in April 2023, showing great results.  Cardiologists agreed with the algorithm’s assessment more often than with sonographers’ assessments, doctors could not identify which output came from human colleagues and which from the AI, and the algorithm saved time both for the sonographers and cardiologists. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5. Full automation\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As the name suggests, full automation processes are performed by an AI alone and do not involve human input. For example, a Level 5 system could analyse a mammogram on its own and request for subsequent testing without consulting a human physician for this decision. Similarly, some scientists \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC7608507\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">speculate that\u003C\u002Fa> some ophthalmological surgeries can be fully automated since some are already partially automated. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A fascinating example of level 5 automation was carried out \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2022\u002F01\u002F220126143954.htm#:~:text=Designed%20by%20a%20team%20of,described%20today%20in%20Science%20Robotics.&text=%22Our%20findings%20show%20that%20we,two%20ends%20of%20an%20intestine\" target=\"_blank\">by the John Hopkins University\u003C\u002Fa>: a robot has performed laparoscopic surgery on the soft tissue of a pig without the guiding hand of a human. Not only has their STAR robot carried out operations on four animals, but it was also able to reconnect two ends of their intestines producing significantly better results than humans performing the same, extremely challenging surgical procedure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, some researchers \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thelancet.com\u002Fjournals\u002Flandig\u002Farticle\u002FPIIS2589-7500(20)30187-4\u002Ffulltext\" target=\"_blank\">believe that\u003C\u002Fa> reaching Level 5 automation in any medical setting is “\u003Cem>unlikely to be safely achieved in the near term\u003C\u002Fem>.” So we have to think of it as a long-term eventuality, but such levels of automation fuels fears of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F5-reasons-artificial-intelligence-wont-replace-physicians\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">AI replacing physicians\u003C\u002Fa>. However, it is more likely that such AI systems will excel at a specific task and healthcare professionals will increasingly interact with them. As such, it is more likely that those physicians who use and embrace AI will replace those that do not, rather than AI alone replacing physicians altogether.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0921_quote_post-01-768x768.png\" alt=\"doctor AI ragiology TMF\" class=\"wp-image-50505\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0921_quote_post-01-768x768.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0921_quote_post-01-150x150.png 150w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0921_quote_post-01-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0921_quote_post-01-2048x2048.png 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F0921_quote_post-01.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Even though automation in medicine is only taking its first steps, it’s a spectrum that we are steadily progressing across. As such, it’s important that we think about the relevant possibilities lying ahead in medicine. We hope that this article helped you think along those lines and provided a clearer picture of automation in medicine.\u003C\u002Fh5>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Written by Dr. Bertalan Meskó & Dr. Pranavsingh Dhunnoo\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>More and more clinics and hospitals are using artificial intelligence. This article explains what are the 5 levels automation and where can we use each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",16,50501,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31],504,[33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42],821,6839,1056,134,282,373,6833,6835,642,6837,[44,45],950,953,[],[48,49,50,51],1723,1831,1833,1883,[53,14,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71],"post-33587","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artificial-intelligence","tag-a-i","tag-behold-ai","tag-watson","tag-ai","tag-ibm-watson","tag-research","tag-andrew-ng","tag-a-i-assistant","tag-automation","tag-journal-of-clinical-oncology","project_category-medical-professionals","project_category-researchers",{"id":24,"alt_text":73,"caption":27,"description":73,"media_type":74,"media_details":75,"post":5,"source_url":114},"AI automation doctor radiology diagnositcs tmf","image",{"width":76,"height":77,"file":78,"filesize":79,"sizes":80,"image_meta":112},1920,1080,"2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation.png",112757,{"medium":81,"large":88,"thumbnail":94,"medium_large":99,"1536x1536":100,"2048x2048":106},{"file":82,"width":83,"height":84,"mime-type":85,"filesize":86,"source_url":87},"5-levels-of-automation-370x208.png","370","208","image\u002Fpng","41211","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation-370x208.png",{"file":89,"width":90,"height":91,"mime-type":85,"filesize":92,"source_url":93},"5-levels-of-automation-768x432.png","768","432","108671","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation-768x432.png",{"file":95,"width":96,"height":96,"mime-type":85,"filesize":97,"source_url":98},"5-levels-of-automation-150x150.png","150","18138","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation-150x150.png",{"file":89,"width":90,"height":91,"mime-type":85,"filesize":92,"source_url":93},{"file":101,"width":102,"height":103,"mime-type":85,"filesize":104,"source_url":105},"5-levels-of-automation-1536x864.png","1536","864","260924","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation-1536x864.png",{"file":107,"width":108,"height":109,"mime-type":85,"filesize":110,"source_url":111},"5-levels-of-automation-2048x1152.png","2048","1152","372422","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":113,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":113,"copyright":27,"focal_length":113,"iso":113,"shutter_speed":113,"title":27,"orientation":113},"0","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F5-levels-of-automation.png",{"cta_type":116,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":117,"related_posts_footer":121,"related_posts":20},"subscribe",[118,119,120],24762,31417,47427,[122,123,124],30701,17898,21115,{"yoast_wpseo_title":126,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":127,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"The 5 Levels Of Automation In Medicine - The Medical Futurist","More and more clinics and hospitals are using artificial intelligence. This article explains what are the 5 levels automation and where can we use each.",{"self":129,"collection":135,"about":138,"author":141,"replies":144,"version-history":147,"predecessor-version":151,"wp:featuredmedia":155,"wp:attachment":158,"wp:term":161,"curies":177},[130],{"href":131,"targetHints":132},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F33587",{"allow":133},[134],"GET",[136],{"href":137},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[139],{"href":140},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[142],{"embeddable":26,"href":143},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F16",[145],{"embeddable":26,"href":146},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=33587",[148],{"count":149,"href":150},18,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F33587\u002Frevisions",[152],{"id":153,"href":154},50559,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F33587\u002Frevisions\u002F50559",[156],{"embeddable":26,"href":157},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F50501",[159],{"href":160},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=33587",[162,165,168,171,174],{"taxonomy":163,"embeddable":26,"href":164},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=33587",{"taxonomy":166,"embeddable":26,"href":167},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=33587",{"taxonomy":169,"embeddable":26,"href":170},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=33587",{"taxonomy":172,"embeddable":26,"href":173},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=33587",{"taxonomy":175,"embeddable":26,"href":176},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=33587",[178],{"name":179,"href":180,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[182],{"id":124,"date":183,"date_gmt":184,"guid":185,"modified":187,"modified_gmt":188,"slug":189,"status":13,"type":14,"link":190,"title":191,"content":193,"excerpt":195,"author":197,"featured_media":198,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":199,"categories":200,"tags":208,"project_category":240,"contact_email_category":245,"yst_prominent_words":246,"class_list":261,"better_featured_image":305,"acf":326,"yoast_meta":332,"_links":335},"2022-05-19T10:00:00","2022-05-19T08:00:00",{"rendered":186},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2022-06-01T14:55:46","2022-06-01T12:55:46","3d-bioprinting-overview","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-bioprinting-overview",{"rendered":192},"3D Bioprinting: Eradicating Transplantation Waiting Lists And Testing Drugs On Living Tissues",{"rendered":194,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From time to time, news arises about 3D-printed organs.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> On such occasions, people usually think that a machine can already create readily available, implantable human organs. However, the reality is far from this optimistic image.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers worldwide are working on possible solutions: from a group that printed a \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.xinhuanet.com\u002Fenglish\u002F2020-11\u002F24\u002Fc_139540203.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">miniature kidney,\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through technological solutions like BioAssemblyBot \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fposts\u002Fbioprinting-hand-36609058\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we wrote about earlier, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to entirely \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcarnegie-researchers-develop-fresh-new-method-of-3d-bioprinting-fully-sized-human-heart-models-179829\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new methods\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can lead to patient-specific heart tissue printing. The list is long and set in a clinical setting.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> We checked out where the technology stands today and where it might lead us in healthcare tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003Cstrong>3D bioprinting can be the response to worldwide organ shortages and the increasing reluctance to test new cosmetic, chemical, and pharmaceutical products on animals.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Whether it will become a reality anytime soon is not certain, although research efforts have grown rapidly over the past years. As seen in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=vqveljTzypM&feature=emb_imp_woyt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this video\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the technology behind bioprinting is getting better and (much) faster. However, this hydrogen-based technology is still not bioprinting – it is not the content but the printing technology itself. However, a breakthrough might be just around the corner. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here’s how bioprinting will break into healthcare revolutionising organ donations and animal testing.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is bioprinting?\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put the term bioprinting next to Earth-invader androids, shiny spaceships in a post-apocalyptic setting, and you’ll get the next Hollywood blockbuster. However, as opposed to malevolent aliens, bioprinting not only exists in sci-fi movies, but it will also transform healthcare in the following decades. Before going into details, though, let’s dissect the technology itself.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What Is 3D Bioprinting? - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F7Rnd2CGUQag?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a state-of-the-art technology that means creating living tissues, such as blood vessels, bones, heart or skin, via the \u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprinting.com\u002Fwhat-is-3d-printing\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">additive manufacturing\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003Cstrong> technology of 3D printing.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Traditional 3D printing implies the production of three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file, using a layering process. In its most common version, a source material, such as plastic, is liquefied, and then the machine adds layer after layer to the platform until you have a fully formed object.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Needless to say, printing organs is a “little bit” more complicated. In the early 2000s \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.economist.com\u002Fscience-and-technology\u002F2017\u002F01\u002F28\u002Fprinted-human-body-parts-could-soon-be-available-for-transplant\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">researchers discovered\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that living cells could be sprayed through the nozzles of inkjet printers without damaging them. However, it is not enough to have the cells themselves, they need a nurturing environment to stay alive: food, water, and oxygen. Nowadays, these conditions are \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhealth.howstuffworks.com\u002Fmedicine\u002Fmodern-technology\u002F3-d-bioprinting3.htm\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">provided by a microgel\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> – think of gelatin enriched with vitamins, proteins, and other life-sustaining compounds. Moreover, to create conditions fostering the fastest and most efficient cell growth, researchers plant the cells around 3D scaffolds made of biodegradable polymers or collagen so they can grow into fully functional tissue.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to 3D print an organ\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let’s take the example of the bladder, a simpler organ consisting of only two types of cells. At first, researchers scan the patient’s organ to determine personalised size and shape. Then they create a scaffold to give cells something to grow on in three dimensions and add cells from the patient to this scaffold. That’s painstakingly\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhealth.howstuffworks.com\u002Fmedicine\u002Fmodern-technology\u002F3-d-bioprinting4.htm\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> labour-intensive work\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and could take as long as eight weeks. Finally, a bioreactor creates the optimal environment for the cells to grow into an organ. When doctors finally place the organ in the patient, the scaffold has already disappeared or it disappears soon after surgery.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This description cannot demonstrate how difficult and time-consuming the entire process is.\u003C\u002Fspan> \u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are a long way, even decades away, from bioprinting fully functioning, complex organs; however, 3D bioprinting is already used to generate model tissues for research and is also used in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.researchgate.net\u002Fpublication\u002F315500645_3D_bioprinting_technology_for_regenerative_medicine_applications\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">regenerative medicine\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What can we print now?\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Bioprinting has developed with incredible speed in recent years. Currently, it is possible to print \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fs41413-022-00192-2\" target=\"_blank\">bones\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.frontiersin.org\u002Farticles\u002F10.3389\u002Ffbioe.2021.746564\u002Ffull\" target=\"_blank\">cartilage\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fresearchers-successful-in-healing-deep-wounds-using-3d-bioprinted-skin-201912\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">skin\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftr-biofab-pulls-off-breakthrough-3d-bioprinted-liver-tissue-transplant-192682\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">liver tissue\u003C\u002Fa> – in theory\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From shapeshifters to microfuilds, these are the latest breakthroughs\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Following the news of the bioprinting industry, we have come across 4 exciting new ideas\u002Fprojects that hold great promise for the future. These are:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>1. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medgadget.com\u002F2022\u002F04\u002F3d-bioprinted-constructs-change-shape-over-time.html\" target=\"_blank\">3D Bioprinted Constructs Changing Shape Over Time\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a method to create 3D printed cell-loaded bioink constructs that can change shape over time, just like tissues in the body do. Incorporating crosslinking molecules into the printed hydrogels, some of which are UV light-sensitive, allows the constructs to undergo shape changes after printing. The technique could help scientists model the development of tissues that also undergo shape changes in response to external stimuli, such as bone or cartilage, or during healing and development. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>2. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fresearchers-turn-to-microfluidics-in-hopes-of-3d-printing-human-organs-208554\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Microfluidics-based 3D bioprinting\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A bioprinter based on microfluidics would operate by precisely manipulating liquids through tiny channels and could print structures measuring just tens of microns across. This is more akin to the single cellular scale and is reportedly what’s needed if we’re ever to make 3D printed organs a reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>3. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fboston-universitys-new-3d-printed-mini-human-heart-beats-on-its-own-208314\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The 3D printed mini heart that beats on its own\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The device was created using a combination of stem cell-derived human heart cells and micro-scale 3D printed acrylic parts, and it doesn’t rely on external power source, it beats on its own. Researchers hope it can be used to track how the heart grows in an embryo, how heart tissue is affected by diseases, and how effective new medications are in treating said diseases, all without the need for human testing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>4. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcollplant-to-trial-3d-bioprinted-breast-implants-in-breakthrough-animal-study-207127\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">3D bioprinted breast implant\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>CollPlant announced that the 3D bioprinted breast tissues it’s developing will enter in-vivo testing from Q2 2022. These grafts are designed to gradually degrade and be replaced by native tissues, in a safer alternative to breast augmentation procedures. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A solution for organ shortages\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The solution to alarming worldwide organ shortages comes from technology. 3D bioprinting is the response of technology to critical tissue shortages hampering medical professionals’ tasks and endangering many lives. In the U.S., a new person is added to the waiting list of organ donors \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.organdonor.gov\u002Fstatistics-stories\u002Fstatistics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">every 9 minutes\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The number of patients \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.organdonor.gov\u002Fstatistics-stories\u002Fstatistics\u002Fdata.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">waiting for an organ donor\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has multiplied five-fold in the last 26 years. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.organdonor.gov\u002Fstatistics-stories\u002Fstatistics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">17 people die\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> every day due to the lack of available organs in the U.S. alone.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other countries are not better off either. In 2018, over 150 000 patients \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.europarl.europa.eu\u002FRegData\u002Fetudes\u002FBRIE\u002F2020\u002F649363\u002FEPRS_BRI(2020)649363_EN.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Europe\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were registered on organ waiting lists. In the U.K., \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.independent.co.uk\u002Flife-style\u002Fhealth-and-families\u002Forgan-donor-law-england-opt-out-register-children-max-keira-a9524216.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">408 patients\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> died while waiting for an organ in 2019. In 2020, the U.K.’s organ donation policy changed to an \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fsociety\u002F2020\u002Fmay\u002F19\u002Fdeceased-uk-adults-to-be-deemed-organ-donors-in-opt-out-system#:~:text=All%20adults%20in%20England%20will,or%20the%20individual%20opts%20out.&text=Opt%2Dout%20has%20been%20a,has%20been%20law%20since%202015.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opt-in system\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, meaning every adult agrees to become an organ donor when they die unless they state that they do not wish to donate. This has remarkably decreased the waiting lines in the country.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-33357 size-full is-style-default\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"625\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Forgan-transplant-myths-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33357\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Forgan-transplant-myths-1.jpg 1000w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Forgan-transplant-myths-1-768x480.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>An illustration of several organs to answer common myths about organ donation.\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Closing the gaps\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have created a 3D bioprinting technique called  “Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels” (FRESH). During a panel discussion on the virtual \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fadditivemanufacturingstrategies.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AMS Summit\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in March 2021, the project’s team leader, Professor Adam Feinberg, noted that “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we could have a bioprinted heart in an animal in 12 years\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.” Talking further about the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprint.com\u002F278969\u002Fams-2021-deconstructing-the-timeline-to-bioprinted-organs\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">possible future\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> timeline for the technology, another expert, Katie Weimer, VP of Regenerative Medicine at \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dsystems.com\u002Fbioprinting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3D Systems\u003C\u002Fa>, said the issue is merely “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an engineering problem\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.” \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp class=\"has-text-align-left\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a recent interview for our Patreon site, Erik Gatenholm, CEO of \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cellink.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CELLINK\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, estimated the same. He said, “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we will see fully functioning organs within the next decade or so.” \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gatenholm added, “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">scientists have been able to bioprint hearts, lungs, kidneys, skin, corneas and more throughout the last 5 years and are currently working towards developing full functioning organs. As of now, the industry is progressing at a steady pace due to the democratisation of 3D bioprinting technology.” \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-33359 size-full is-style-default\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F3d-bioprinting-tissue-organs.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33359\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F3d-bioprinting-tissue-organs.jpg 900w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002F3d-bioprinting-tissue-organs-768x371.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: from \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com\u002FUS\u002Fen\u002Ftechnical-documents\u002Ftechnical-article\u002Fcell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis\u002F3d-cell-culture\u002F3d-bioprinting-bioinks\" target=\"_blank\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com\u002FUS\u002Fen\u002Ftechnical-documents\u002Ftechnical-article\u002Fcell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis\u002F3d-cell-culture\u002F3d-bioprinting-bioinks\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bioprinting making waves on the market\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the AMS Summit, industry leaders went into an in-depth discussion on the commercialisation of 3D bioprinting. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprint.com\u002F278969\u002Fams-2021-deconstructing-the-timeline-to-bioprinted-organs\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several companies\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that focus on bioprinting tissues or implants rather than organs themselves already have go-to-market products – like \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fparticle3d.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Particle3D\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aspectbiosystems.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aspect Biosystems\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Frokithealthcare.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rokit Healthcare\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.viscientbiosciences.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Viscient Biosciences\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.dimensioninx.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dimension Inx\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpoietis.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poietis\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But of course, major players on the field like Swedish \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cellink.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CELLINK\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or US-based \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Forganovo.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organovo\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also have their technologies on the market already. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Ca class=\"img\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dprintingmedia.network\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002F3dpbm-Map-of-Bioprinting-Technologies-and-Companies-February-2021-8.svg\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"549\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002FScreen-Shot-2021-03-10-at-12.26.58-768x549.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33361\"\u002F\u003C\u002Fa srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002FScreen-Shot-2021-03-10-at-12.26.58-768x549.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002FScreen-Shot-2021-03-10-at-12.26.58.png 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cfigcaption>See enlarged image \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dprintingmedia.network\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002F3dpbm-Map-of-Bioprinting-Technologies-and-Companies-February-2021-8.svg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The pioneers of 3D bioprinting\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003Cstrong>The most well-known tissue engineering company is the San Diego-based company, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Forganovo.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organovo\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fstrong> It has been actively developing a line of human tissues for use in medical research and drug discovery. They create highly customised 3D human tissues as dynamic models of healthy and diseased human biology for drug development and recently have been in the news for creating miniature \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2020\u002F11\u002F201124190532.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">human kidneys\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the lab, together with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today the company still lacks the much-talked-about FDA approval for its technology. It focuses on replacing animals in testing processes, novel drug discovery and custom disease models, as well as single-cell RNA sequencing. Organovo seeks to have multiple IND filings with the FDA by the end of 2025.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And as printing tissues is a revolutionary approach, Organovo has also hit the wall with some of its projects. The company announced to kill its ‘liver patch’ project in 2019,  an initiative that seemed very promising for years, and which must have burned a good amount of funding along the way. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp class=\"has-text-align-left\">\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cellink.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">CELLINK\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003Cstrong> has been doing great over the past years.\u003C\u002Fstrong> The company develops both bioprinters and bioprinting materials for providing ready-to-print or use models for researchers and healthcare providers to enable 3D cell culture, personalised medicine, and enhanced therapeutics. Their approach helped to decrease the price of bioprinting devices enormously, which allowed more and more research or education institutions and organisations to buy one of these machines – and this inevitably led to even more research and more breakthrough in the industry. Through \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnews.cision.com\u002Fcellink-ab\u002Fr\u002Fcellink-has-entered-into-an-agreement-to-acquire-the-advanced-robotics-and-diagnostics-automation-co,c3286729\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">acquisitions\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.news-medical.net\u002Fnews\u002F20200515\u002FCELLINK-announces-partnership-with-AstraZeneca-to-provide-advanced-3D-bioprinted-liver-organoids.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cooperations\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, CELLINK indeed became a bioconvergence \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dprintingmedia.network\u002Fcytena-readies-to-launch-new-system-for-single-cell-bioprinting\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powerhouse\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The two pioneers – Organovo and Cellink – have recently \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingcenter.net\u002Fthe-first-patent-war-in-the-world-of-3d-bioprinting-organovo-vs-cellink-aka-bico\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">clashed in a legal battle\u003C\u002Fa>, both accusing the other of the use of their own patented technologies. The companies eventually \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fir.organovo.com\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fnews-release-details\u002Fupdate-organovo-and-bico-cellink-reach-licensing-agreement\" target=\"_blank\">came to an agreement \u003C\u002Fa>in March 2022. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Researchers figured out how to make clear human organs \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ft.co\u002F4T7IBGIyLu\">pic.twitter.com\u002F4T7IBGIyLu\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>— Seeker by The Verge (@Seeker) \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FSeeker\u002Fstatus\u002F1354498155635744773?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 27, 2021\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cscript async src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fplatform.twitter.com\u002Fwidgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\">\u003C\u002Fscript>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biotech veteran, US-based \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.unither.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">United Therapeutics\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> develops pharmaceuticals to treat vascular diseases and cancer. The company started \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dnatives.com\u002Fen\u002Fcollplant-united-therapeutics-kidney-bioprinting-051020204\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bioprinting kidneys\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, together with Israeli CollPlant, to use the latter’s unique bioink technology and human collagen in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.prnewswire.com\u002Fil\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fcollplant-and-united-therapeutics-announce-exercise-of-option-that-will-expand-their-collaboration-to-include-3d-bioprinting-of-human-kidneys-for-transplant-301134527.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the process\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that aims to reduce worldwide organ shortages.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">With 3D bioprinting against testing drugs on animals\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-bioprinting-overview\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bioprinting\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can also help eliminate the need for testing new drugs on animals. Replacing lengthy and expensive clinical trials, which often have no results, is a good market opportunity whereby pharma companies could save billions of dollars. Testing medication on mice, rabbits or other animals is in many cases not efficient as the particular drug could still have a different effect on people.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, 3D printed tissue \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"img\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fmachine-learning-in-healthcare.png\" target=\"_blank\"\u003C\u002Fa>proves to be\u003C\u002Fa> an effective means of testing \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.med-technews.com\u002Fnews\u002Flatest-medtech-news\u002Facademia-and-business-to-develop-3d-printed-pancreas-for-tes\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new pharmaceuticals\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, meaning that drugs can be thoroughly assessed and brought to market more quickly, all without harming animal test subjects. Moreover, as testing cosmetics on animals has always been even more controversial than testing for medical purposes, with the emergence of \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=ilzynZvZm3c\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing human skin\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, testing cosmetics on animals could disappear once and for all.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-21123 size-full is-style-default\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Ftesting-drugs-on-animals.png\" alt=\"Bioprinting\" class=\"wp-image-21123\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Ftesting-drugs-on-animals.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Ftesting-drugs-on-animals-768x512.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Ftesting-drugs-on-animals-512x341.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.nabr.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In situ bioprinting\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The solution means 3D printing tissues directly at the point of injury – no matter whether it’s about bones, tissues or skin. In the next decade, doctors may, therefore, be able to scan wounds and spray on layers of cells to heal them very rapidly. The first results are already out: \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australian researchers from UNSW Sydney \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnewsroom.unsw.edu.au\u002Fnews\u002Fhealth\u002Fscientists-use-novel-ink-3d-print-%E2%80%98bone%E2%80%99-living-cells-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">developed\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a ceramic-based ink that can print bone-like structures without the use of chemicals or radiation. This technology may help surgeons to 3D print bone parts with living cells – practically to print a replacement bone, including living cells, directly inside a patient’s body.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists in China are also working on “in vivo in situ” solutions and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.genengnews.com\u002Fnews\u002Fbioprinting-in-vivo-offers-potential-therapy-for-gastric-wounds\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">developed\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a tool that can carry out tissue repair inside the body, used on patients with gastric wounds.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"In-situ contour bioprinting of skin tissue on a mouse\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FGFIDKGY3y5I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The challenges of 3D bioprinting\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The Medical Futurist doesn’t like to ruin optimistic and positive visions for the future, but bioprinting faces severe challenges from technological, financial, and regulatory perspectives.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003Cstrong>The most burning issue is the question of regulation.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Leaving the market unregulated might lead to a thriving black market. As soon as scaffolds are available and methods are open source, people worldwide might be tempted to start printing unregulated and untested biomaterials and sell them to desperate people. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FDA has a \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fda.gov\u002Fmedical-devices\u002Fproducts-and-medical-procedures\u002F3d-printing-medical-devices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">short segment\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on 3D bioprinting, but it does not explicitly cover living cells. Those applications are due to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sme.org\u002Ftechnologies\u002Farticles\u002F2020\u002Fapril\u002Fscience-precedes-regulations-in-bioprinting\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">go through\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. As the FDA does not regulate bioprinting but the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fda.gov\u002Fmedical-devices\u002Fproducts-and-medical-procedures\u002F3d-printing-medical-devices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">medical devices \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and solutions \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">coming out\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the printers, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pewtrusts.org\u002Fen\u002Fresearch-and-analysis\u002Fissue-briefs\u002F2020\u002F10\u002Fwhat-is-medical-3d-printing-and-how-is-it-regulated\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">regulations\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> still lag behind the technology’s speed. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2020 October decision to give \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprint.com\u002F273977\u002Ffda-says-a-d-a-m-s-3d-printed-bones-are-eligible-for-510k-clearance\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">510k clearance\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to A.D.A.M., a Ukrainian company to work on 3D printed bone implants out of bioceramics, however, indicated that the regulatory body is about to speed up in the field. A.D.A.M. is already in the testing phase and expected to be on the market in 2022 – after getting the FDA approval.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>3D Bioprinting is an overly complicated technology, and so are its many technological, and biological challenges; ethical and regulatory issues can already be seen from this brief introduction. It won’t be applied in practice overnight, but it’s going to be a reality to deal with within a decade.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs?hl=en&cc_lang_pref=en&cc=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":196,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Full overview of how 3D bioprinting will break into healthcare revolutionizing organ donations & animal testing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,33403,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[201,31,202,203,204,205,206,207],498,500,798,521,490,499,800,[209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239],246,6785,6807,271,6787,963,6809,289,551,6789,964,6811,355,667,6791,1199,375,6793,383,6795,425,6797,6799,130,6801,152,6781,6803,236,6783,6805,[241,242,243,44,244,45],947,948,949,952,[],[247,248,249,250,251,252,253,51,254,255,256,257,258,259,260],3341,3391,3397,3415,3451,1719,3457,3459,2133,3461,2903,4491,2947,3201,[262,14,54,55,56,57,58,263,59,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,70,304,71],"post-21115","category-3d-printing","category-biotechnology","category-digital-health-research","category-future-medicine","category-future-of-pharma","category-healthcare-design","category-healthcare-policy","tag-future","tag-additive-manufacturing","tag-poietis","tag-health","tag-microgel","tag-organ","tag-united-therepautics","tag-innovation","tag-organs","tag-carnegie","tag-organ-donation","tag-animal-testing","tag-personalized-medicine","tag-tissue-engineering","tag-ams","tag-organovo","tag-rna","tag-regenerative-medicine","tag-science-fiction","tag-fresh","tag-technology-2","tag-cellink","tag-particle3d","tag-3d-printing-2","tag-aspect-biosystems","tag-bioprinting","tag-kidney","tag-rokit-healthcare","tag-fda-2","tag-bioassemblybot","tag-viscient-biosciences","project_category-company","project_category-developers","project_category-educators","project_category-policy-makers",{"id":198,"alt_text":306,"caption":27,"description":307,"media_type":74,"media_details":308,"post":124,"source_url":325},"3D printing","3D bioprinting",{"width":76,"height":77,"file":309,"sizes":310,"image_meta":324},"2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01.png",{"medium":311,"large":314,"thumbnail":317,"medium_large":320,"1536x1536":321},{"file":312,"width":83,"height":84,"mime-type":85,"source_url":313},"tmf_article_249-01-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-370x208.png",{"file":315,"width":90,"height":91,"mime-type":85,"source_url":316},"tmf_article_249-01-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-768x432.png",{"file":318,"width":96,"height":96,"mime-type":85,"source_url":319},"tmf_article_249-01-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-150x150.png",{"file":315,"width":90,"height":91,"mime-type":85,"source_url":316},{"file":322,"width":102,"height":103,"mime-type":85,"source_url":323},"tmf_article_249-01-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01-1536x864.png",{"aperture":113,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":113,"copyright":27,"focal_length":113,"iso":113,"shutter_speed":113,"title":27,"orientation":113},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Ftmf_article_249-01.png",{"related_posts":20,"related_posts_footer":327,"cta_type":116,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":330},[123,328,329],43409,22374,[119,331],24761,{"yoast_wpseo_title":333,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":334,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":190},"3D Bioprinting - 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