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An Anonymous Coward writes:

From

https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/17/21184308/coronavirus-italy-medical-company-threatens-sue-3d-print-valves-treatments [theverge.com]

A medical device manufacturer has threatened to sue a group of volunteers in Italy that 3D printed a valve used for life-saving coronavirus treatments. The valve typically costs about $11,000 from the medical device manufacturer, but the volunteers were able to print replicas for about $1 (link to a TechDirt piece).

Basically, in Italy battling the wuflu epidemic, a hospital ran out of valve parts used in a treatment equipment, but the supplier weren't able to supply them. So the doctors got the local media to sound out for alternative solutions, and a 3d printing outfit stepped up. They all banged their heads together to produce the needed parts, enabling the hospital to continue treating patients.

The printed parts work to the degree they do, but it would be better to have the part's blueprint with precise specs so the printed parts can fit and function properly. So the 3d printing outfit asked the manufacturer for the blueprint. The manufacturer refused and threatened to sue the 3d printing outfit.

Here are other links covering the story, including the techdirt piece mentioned above:

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200317/04381644114/volunteers-3d-print-unobtainable-11000-valve-1-to-keep-covid-19-patients-alive-original-manufacturer-threatens-to-sue.shtml [techdirt.com]
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-italian-hospital-3d-printed-breathing-valves-covid-19-patients-2020-3 [businessinsider.com]
https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/16/firm-refuses-give-blueprint-coronavirus-equipment-save-lives-12403815/ [metro.co.uk]

This one is in Italian, but has a picture of the part in question:

https://it.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-manca-la-valvola-per-uno-strumento-di-rianimazione-e-noi-la-stampiamo-in-3d-accade-nellospedale-di-chiari-brescia/ [businessinsider.com]

On a side note, not sure if the IP involved is a patent, a copyright, or both.

Original Submission