3D Systems, VHA to collaborate on 3D printable medical devices

3D Systems and the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) announced a collaboration in which the 3D printer manufacturer will help the VHA establish FDA-compliant, in-hospital manufacturing facilities that produce additive manufactured medical devices.

Under the terms of the partnership, the VHA will collaborate with 3D Systems’ healthcare additive manufacturing team to design medical devices and take them through FDA clearance process. Eventually, VHA teams will take over quality management and regulatory clearance duties. In addition, 3D Systems will install its ProX SLS 6100 3D printers and materials, as well as 3D Systems’ VSP-related software.

The initiative is an expansion of a previous 3D Systems – VHA collaboration to address supply chain issues in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the VA needed PPE – initially face masks and then 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab that could be printed on production level equipment.

“What began during the pandemic in response to a critical need has expanded to change the way healthcare is delivered,” said Menno Ellis, executive vice president, healthcare solutions, 3D Systems. “This is a one-of-a-kind collaboration, between an additive manufacturing solutions provider and one of the world’s largest integrated health care systems, will accelerate innovation in the medical device production and deployment arena.”
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