Interpretation of regulatory factors for 3D printing at hospitals and medical centers, or at the point of care

• Published in: 3D printing in medicine Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 7
• Main Authors: Beitler, Brian G., Abraham, Paul F., Glennon, Alyssa R., Tommasini, Steven M., Lattanza, Lisa L., Morris, Jonathan M., Wiznia, Daniel H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V; BMC
• Subjects: 3-D printers; 3D Printing; Additive manufacturing; Best practice; Biomaterials; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Consultants; FDA; FDA approval; Federal regulation; Health care; Health care facilities; Hospitals; Imaging; Medical device design; Medical device industry; Medical devices; Medical electronics; Medical equipment; Medical technology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Orthopedics; Point-of-care (PoC) 3D Printing; Printing; Radiology; Review; Surgery; Surgical apparatus & instruments; Surgical instruments; Three dimensional printing; 3D Printing; FDA; Point-of-care (PoC) 3D Printing; Medical device design; Orthopedics
• ISSN: 2365-6271; 2365-6271
• DOI: 10.1186/s41205-022-00134-y

3D printing is revolutionizing the medical device landscape through its ability to rapidly create patient-specific anatomic models, surgical instruments, and implants. Recent advances in 3D printing technology have allowed for the creation of point-of-care (PoC) 3D printing centers. These PoC centers blur the line between healthcare provider, medical center, and device manufacturer, creating regulatory ambiguity. The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) currently regulates 3D printed devices through existing medical device regulations. However, the FDA is increasingly interested in developing guidelines and regulations specifically for PoC 3D printing due to its rapid adoption across the healthcare institutions. In this article, we review the regulatory framework that governs medical devices, discuss how PoC 3D printing falls within this framework, and describe a novel conceptual framework that the FDA has proposed. Finally, through analysis of the aforementioned regulations and discussions with industry medical 3D printing regulatory experts, we provide recommendations for PoC medical 3D printing best practices so that institutions are best positioned to utilize this revolutionary technology safely and effectively.