Which organs do you expect to be printed in the next two or three years?



V.M.: Thyroid glands, blood vessels, skin and hair, as well as cartilage, bone and adipose tissue. Some organs from this list have in fact already been printed.



By your estimates, a printed organ will cost between 200,000 and 250,000 dollars. Does this mean that only the wealthy will be able to afford them?



V.M.: The history of technological progress shows that once a hi-tech product enters mass production by automated means and starts to be widely used on the market, it becomes tens, scratch that, thousands of times cheaper. So there is no doubt that 3D printed organs will become more affordable with time.



Do you expect foreign clients?



V.M.: Yes, our product is capable of entering the global market. In China alone there are 1.5 million people in need of an organ transplant.



Do you think Russia will be able to create an infrastructure for printed organ transplantation?



V.M.: It is possible, yes. But the government will need to cooperate with private businesses. This will require millions of dollars of investment, but will in time allow the healthcare system to save a lot of money on the treatment of patients. Besides, a country that does not invest in the development of such technologies today will later have to buy it from others, which will be much more expensive.



