Budny 4:00
L13
3D PRINTERS: THE ETHICS BEHIND THIS REVOLUTIONARY
TECHNOLOGY
Ashley Dacosta (asd63@pitt.edu)
3D PRINTERS, THE FUTURE OF THE
MEDICAL INDUSTRY
In the span of five years, three dimensional printers (3D
printers) have become one of the main bioengineering and
chemical engineering tools used for experimentations and
surgeries involving tissue and cartilage implants, as well as
cellular reproduction and development. Currently, the 3D
printer is saving thousands of lives and is providing people
with the care they need. From printing food from
synthesized cells to printing a whole new graft of skin, 3D
printing is making a large impact on society, and this is just
the beginning. Research is continuously going on with this
technology to better improve the printers and to offer more
services to a wider range of people. In the near future,
scientists will be able to use a patient’s cells to manufacture
organs for the use of transplants, along with better care for
those who need cartilage, bone fragments, tissues and
muscles. If this new development proves to be successful,
then that would make it possible for thousands of people to
get the required surgeries that they need to better their
health.
Three dimensional printers will revolutionize medical
care practices and will possibly become the next biggest
thing in the health care industry. With the new
advancements and the imposing possibilities for the usage of
this technology comes grand responsibility. As an engineer,
we must make hard decisions regarding possible
breakthroughs in this industry. In specific, engineers are
required to follow an ethical code of conduct that ensures the
continued presence of morals and ethical behavior in a field
that is mainly concerned with the innovations rather than the
moral implications.
TO RELEASE OR NOT TO RELEASE: AN
ETHICAL DILEMMA
At Organovo, I am one of the head chemical engineers
involved in the new development of manufactured organs
for human use. Organovo is a company that “designs and
creates multi-cellular, dynamic and functional human tissues
for use in drug discovery and medical research.” [1] I have
my master’s degree in chemical engineering with a focus in
cellular and bioprocess engineering, and a minor in software
engineering. My team is composed of software, biomedical,
and chemical engineers with one common goal: the
successful use of a 3D printed organ. We are at the
breakthrough of our research, and after years of development
University of Pittsburgh-Swanson School of Engineering
2015-11-02
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and experimentation, have designed a kidney that would be
used for human organ transplants. Previously, organs were
printed on a small scale and were only used for the testing of
drug usage and passage. Now, our research has enabled us to
print a kidney on a larger scale with the proper vascularized
channels to allow for the passage of nutrients throughout the
organ. This innovation of 3D printed technologies would
amplify the company as a whole and would change the
medical field forever. As a result of our outstanding
advancements, we decide as a team to showcase the results
of our findings and discuss how we will immediately start
the use of such organ designs for transplant usage.
Two weeks pass by, and it is the night before the big
press conference with the news to present the results of our
research. The team and I are going over the schematics one
more time and further analyzing our research to make sure
everything is in order. As I am reviewing the chemical
processes conclusions and data outputs one final time, I
realize that there is an error in the organ’s outlines. The
design is not sufficient enough to support the flow of blood
and nutrients throughout the organ once implanted in the
human body. Also, I notice that the calculations show that
the organ would not be able to sustain the stresses put on it
by the body. The cell regeneration processes would not
create a strong enough tissue to hold the structure together to
fully function in the patient. These problems cause me to
rethink our decision on revealing our data to the world, and I
am forced to make a decision on whether or not to tell my
team about my discoveries.
THE ETHICAL PROBLEM
The problem here is that we have already contacted over
a dozen news casters to broadcast our findings to the nation
and across the globe. This is a huge accomplishment for
Organovo, and if I were to disclaim such information to the
head manager, that could cause problems for our company
and possible publication issues. That could result in our
company being put in the press for rushing into such a
complex invention and not thoroughly evaluating our
research, but would also allow the team to make corrections
and better the previous inquiries. If I choose not to present
my findings, then our information shall go global, and the
company would be elevated in its position and credibility.
Though this is the case, once we actually start printing
organs and undergoing transplants, there could be a problem.
If a patient were to experience complications after surgery
and it is found that the possible injuries and deaths were
caused by miscalculations and failures in our research, then
Ashley Dacosta
Organovo would be sued and everyone who was working on
this project would be fired. This would cause a national
epidemic and would cause 3D printing to be looked down
upon and many might argue that it should be banned from
human use.
objective criticism of the work of others. [4] By considering
both codes of ethics, I can make a moral and ethical decision
as to what is the best thing to do in this situation. I am posed
with a multitude of questions that need to be thoroughly
evaluated and must take into account the possible actions
that could occur following the press release and actual
implementation of this new technology.
THE “IDEAL” ANSWER
CASE STUDIES INTERPRETED
The use of three-dimensional printing equipment has
grown significantly over the past few years due to the
increasing availability of inexpensive computing and
electronics technologies. This technology could have such a
positive impact on society, especially with the use of 3D
printed organs. Many people are getting sick and even dying
because they cannot get the medical attention they need right
away [2]. That is something that is out of the control of the
medical professionals because organs and medicines are on a
first come, first serve basis, and these things cannot be
distributed to everyone. With the new discoveries made, us
as scientists can reduce these factors, and provide a greater
of care for patients who are in dire need. With organs being
facilitated in a laboratory, this will cut the down the risk of a
patient rejecting the organ, and will be more cost efficient.
With all these risks being cut down and the amount of
people whose lives could be saved by these facts, it is safe to
say that it would be the best thing to go ahead, unveil the
research, and immediately implement this knowledge in the
medical field.
There is one particular case study that relates to the
problem I am faced with, and brings up ethical questions that
would be applicable in this situation. A certain medical
device company, XMed, has successfully launched a new
product. However, the Lead Product Development Engineer
has discovered that he has not signed off on the final phase
review, so the final review of the product was never
approved of and technically never happened. After
reviewing this specific case study, one could ask the
question of whether or not there would be any consequences
to the product’s malfunction [5]. If the product were to
malfunction, this would cause the patients to have
complications, as well as the company and the engineers
who were in charge of the product, specifically those who
were to ensure that a final inspection happened. This could
be connected back to my situation because as engineers, my
group and I are to do everything in our power to make sure
that our technologies function properly and pose no dangers
to its consumers. After comparing this case to my current
situation, we could ask the same questions to him and his
employer, as it is unknown as to what would happen with
the products after they are put to use in the medical field.
Although the product proves to have great potential in
revolutionizing the health care industry, it cannot be put out
on the market knowing that there are errors in the
calculations. By not admitting to the fact that I found a flaw
in the data from our inquiries, that is a violation of the code
of ethics on my part. I am not adhering to the fact that I need
to put the health of the public first regarding the new
innovations and technologies for human use.
Two similar cases that I have also reviewed talk about
honesty and integrity, which relates to the third rule of
practice provided by the NSPE code of ethics, which states
that “Engineers shall issue public statements only in an
objective and truthful manner.” [3] In the first case study
provided titled “Honesty’s Always the Best Policy,” a high
school boy named Raj tweaked his resume so that he could
get a summer internship at a famous research institute. [6] In
the second case study titled “The Cost of Integrity,” an
engineer is notified of their fault in a civil structure which
may cause harm if strong winds were to hit the structure.
Fixing the problem would be difficult and may hurt the
engineer’s reputation [7]. Looking into this case study, we
can see that people would be put in danger stress was
applied to the building. Although it would become
detrimental to the reputation of the engineer, the health and
CONSIDERING THE CODE OF ETHICS
Though this sounds like an ideal plan, there are certain
ethical codes that I as an engineer must follow and consider
when I am faced with hard hitting decisions regarding
technological and medical breakthroughs. This ethical code
of conduct ensures the continued presence of morals and
ethical behavior in a field that is mainly concerned with the
innovations rather than the moral implications. There are a
multitude of constituents of not just the Code of Ethics for
Engineers as provided by the National Society of
Professional Engineers (NSPE), but the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Code of Ethics as well. As
stated in the preamble of the code of ethics provided by
NSPE, “the services provided by engineers require honesty,
impartiality, fairness and equity, and must be dedicated to
the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare.” [3]
The code of ethics continues on with a multitude of canons,
which would be considered fundamental by any engineer. As
an engineer, I have the responsibility of looking out for the
well-being of the public, avoiding deceptive acts, work as a
faithful employee, and conduct myself honorably, ethically
and lawfully. [3] Similar things are stated in the code of
ethics for chemical engineers by the AIChE. In particular, I
as a chemical engineer must accept responsibility for my
actions, seek and heed critical review of my work and offer
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Ashley Dacosta
lives of those within and around the building come first and
the right course of action would be to inform the building
owner so that they could potentially fix the problem.
Relating both of these case studies back to my situation, I
see the importance of honesty and integrity in the workforce.
If I were to leave the schematics alone and allow for the
organs to be printed using that data, and someone were to
get a transplant with one of these faulty printed organs, then
there could be a chance that the organ fails due to a lack of
nutrients to the kidney or an excess of pressure on the organ.
That would cause the person to have health issues, and I
would feel guilty for such problems because I could have
prevented such a thing from happening.
moral thing to do, I was able to make an ethical decision. As
to not violate the code of ethics provided by the NSPE and
the AIChE, I decided that it would be the right thing to be
honest and reveal my findings to my team and the heads of
the company. Though that would mean ruining the possible
fame and recognition that we would gain from our
breakthrough research, it would also mean protecting the
lives of the general public by looking out for their health. I
would be honoring the code by being honest and responsible
for the information found. As was mentioned before, part of
the problem was that the organ would not be sustainable
enough to handle the pressures done by the body and for the
passage of nutrients through the organ. In order to correct
this, I could make modifications on the chemical processes
that are involved in synthesizing the cells required for
making the organ in order to make a stronger and more
efficient organ. By doing so, this would not hurt my integrity
as an engineer and would allow me to continue research on
3D printing and further advancing the synthetic
manufacturing of structures.
ETHICAL DEBATE
Currently, there are debates going on about the benefits
of 3D printing and the possible ethical issues the
advancements of this technology could pose. In the article
published by Nanalyze, the authors reason why three
dimensional printing should be supported and continued to
be improved upon because of the previous successes and the
future possibilities to come. From 3D printed cartilages to a
small working kidney that lasted four months being printed
by the Hangzhou Dianzi University in China, the 3D printer
has proved to be successful and continues to excel in its
complexity and capabilities. [8] Nanalyze argues that
research should increase in this area of expertise because by
just taking a small sample of a person’s cells, scientists can
do remarkable things, from printing a new layer of skin cells
for a burned patient, to creating new cartilage for the ear or
knee joint, and soon, to manufacture organs for patients
waiting for transplants. Though this is true, they predict that
global debates will soon start against the ethical issues that
could arise from organ manufacturing. Lucas Mearian,
author of Bio-printing Human Parts will Spark Ethical,
Regulatory Debate says that “laying out living cells is one
thing, but creating the vascular structure to support tissue
with oxygen and nutrients is yet another challenge,” causing
an ethical issue that could arise for companies. [9] In another
article, Rhiannon Williams says that 3D printing will
advance faster that we, as scientists, would be able to
comprehend due to the raised popularity and prospects of the
technology. [10] There are multiple ethical questions that
arise from this technology and these quick advancements
could violate such things. Being ethical isn’t always about
cut and dry answers, but about getting yourself to actually
consider the possibilities and consequences of actions. By
doing this, one can actually realize how they can make an
impact and the effects their actions can have on a society.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE
ENGINEERS
Engineering is a field that impacts the lives of everyone
in the world by offering services to everyone and providing
technology to help improve everyday life. By abusing the
power that we have as engineers, it would hinder us from
helping those who truly need it. By making decisions that
are influenced by monetary values or popularity that shields
an individual’s judgement of what is morally right and
wrong. The fastest way to see if you are doing the right thing
easily lies within your conscience. Some of the easiest
decisions could be made by just by going with your gut
feeling. Other ways to check if your decisions are ethically
correct is to possibly consult a close family member or a
friend, or consulting with case studies that contain similar
ethical situations that you are dealing with. Case studies
provide ethical questions regarding a wide variety of
situations that allow for you to go even more in depth as to
deciding whether a certain decision is ethical or not. Once
engineers realize the impacts that their innovations have on
the world, it is crucial that they put themselves second and
act in the best interest of the society as a whole.
REFERENCES
[1] “Organovo-Bio printing Functional Human Tissue”.
Organovo. (online website). http://www.organovo.com/
[2]L. Binder (n.d.). “The Five Biggest Problems in Health
Care Today.” Forbes (online article).
http://www.forbes.com/sites/leahbinder/2013/02/21/the-fivebiggest-problems-in-health-care-today/
FINAL DECISION
After considering all the codes of ethics and looking into
situations similar to mine, as well as those that speak of the
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Ashley Dacosta
[3] (2015). “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National
Society of Professional Engineers. (online journal).
http://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics
[4] "Code of Ethics." Code of Ethics. American Institute of
Chemical Engineers, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2015. (website)
http://www.aiche.org/about/code-ethics
[5] “To Release, or Not to Release: An Engineer’s
Perspective.” Stanford University. (Case Study).
http://biodesign.stanford.edu/bdn/ethicscases/21releasequesti
on.jsp
[6] “Honesty is Always the Best Policy.” Northeastern
University. (Case Study)
http://www.webguru.neu.edu/professionalism/casestudies/honestys-always-best-policy
[7]“The Cost of Integrity.” Northeastern University. (Case
Study). http://www.webguru.neu.edu/professionalism/ casestudies/cost-integrity
[8] "Investing in 3D Bioprinting." Nanalyze. Nanalyze, n.d.
Web. 03 Nov. 2015. (online article)
http://www.nanalyze.com/2014/02/investing-in-3dbioprinting/
[9] Mearian, Lucas. "Bio-printing Human Parts Will Spark
Ethical, Regulatory Debate." Computerworld. N.p., n.d.
Web. 03 Nov. 2015. (Online Article)
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2486998/emergingtechnology/bio-printing-human-parts-will-spark-ethical-regulatory-debate.html
[10] Cooney, Michael. "Gartner: Top 10 Future Strategic IT
Predictions." Network World. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2015.
(online article)
http://www.networkworld.com/article/2225521/malwarecybercrime/gartner--top-10-future-strategic-itpredictions.html
like to thank the friends in my study group who kept me on
track for this assignment and offered to help when I needed
it.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
[11]Butterman, Eric. "Ethics in Engineering." Ethics in
Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2015. (website)
https://www.asme.org/engineeringtopics/articles/engineering-ethics/ethics-in-engineering
[12] "Ethics Cases." Ethics Cases. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov.
2015. (case study)
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/murdoughcenter/products/cases.ph
p
[13]Williams, Rhiannon. “3D printing human tissue and
organs to 'spark ethics debate' ” (Article)
http://www.illinoisjltp.com/sources/Park/8_Rhiannon%20W
illiams,%203D%20Pri.pdf
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Julianna Said for taking the time to
read my paper and provide feedback on it. I would also like
to thank Jennifer Chickola, my little seminar leader, for
helping me to select a topic for my paper. Finally, I would
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