3D Printing Likely To Revolutionise Healthcare Procedures, Says Expert Panel

Dubai Science Park (DSP), a science- and healthcare-focused business community, hosted the seventh edition of its Advance Health networking event. Under the theme ‘How 3D Printing Is Transforming Health’, the forum brought together industry experts to explore the potential that 3D printing can create in the healthcare space.

Organised in partnership with Synapse Medical Services, a healthcare administration company, and Connect Communications, a strategic healthcare communications agency, the event featured panellists from the Dubai Health Authority, Aetrex Worldwide, Burjeel Hospital, EOS and Sinterex. The participants discussed processes, applications and the conditions for adopting this technology in the UAE, in addition to witnessing an interactive demonstration of 3D printing in action.

The Dubai 3D Printing Strategy was launched in 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the aim of using technology to serve humanity and establishing Dubai as a leading 3D printing hub by 2030. The strategy seeks to leverage the emerging technology to cut costs in several sectors, including healthcare – an early adopter of 3D printing. Within the medical products segment, the focus is on 3D printing of teeth, bones, artificial organs as well as medical and surgical devices. By 2025, the value of 3D-printed medical products in Dubai is expected to reach AED1.7 billion.

Dr Mohammed Al Redha, Director of Project Management Office, Informatics and Smart Health at the Dubai Health Authority, said: “Technology in the healthcare space has the potential to transform lives for the better. The role of 3D printing is promising due to its precision, speed and the potential savings it can bring to healthcare systems. We have already seen the benefits of this technology across a number of areas in Dubai including dentistry, surgeries and 3D printed prosthetics. Our aim is to continue to work in collaboration with the private sector to see how we can best implement this technology within Dubai’s healthcare landscape.”

Speaking about the event’s topic, Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Managing Director of DSP and Chairing Member of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Taskforce of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, said: “As technology continues to evolve, its implementation extends into diverse sectors. As an industry with a significant potential for growth, healthcare is no exception. Already employed successfully in complex surgeries, 3D printing is likely to revolutionise the domain due to its personalisation capabilities as well as the fact that it minimises risk and maximises positive outcomes. As this technology gains uptake throughout the UAE, it is poised to become the backbone of multiple medical procedures.”

Dr Franziska Fuchs, Business Development Manager for Humaneering and Healthcare at EOS, a global technology leader in industrial 3D printing, said: “The medical field is all about people and quality of life. Healthcare products need to support the healing process in a meaningful way to help patients gain mobility. Our goal is to develop sustainable solutions in collaboration with our customers in order to improve people’s lives.”

Advance Health regularly convenes key stakeholders in the science and healthcare sectors, providing an ideal platform for knowledge sharing and networking with the aim of enhancing patient outcomes in the UAE.