PIP Breast Implant Report Branded As Predictable By Pressure Group In Scotland
Despite the Government’s claim and recent reports in TV news media that breast implants are inherently safe, as result of a newly published NHS Medical Directors group report, which found that ruptured implants should not cause any long-term health problems; tens of thousands of women are not at all reassured. In fact they did not expect the report to conclude anything other than the official line as claimed by the industry.
Furthermore, the report claims that even when the industrial grade silicone implant rupture and leaks, this still gives no reason for concern! Remember the assurance given by the tobacco industry in denying smoking causes cancer?
According to the on-line newspaper, Scotsman.com, “About 47,000 British women are believed to have been given implants manufactured by French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), which were filled with non-medical grade silicone intended for use in mattresses and have been linked to rupture and swelling in the body. An estimated 4,000 women in Scotland may have been given the implants by private companies.”
The article posted on their website on Monday of this week (18th June) quotes
Trisha Devine, spokeswoman for campaign group PIP Implants Scotland, as saying:
"The conclusions in today's report were disappointingly predictable. We thought the rupture rate would be higher than officials expected and we were hoping for a fresh insight into the scandal.
Instead we get a rehashed version of the previous Government report which does little to calm the fears of the victims. The report states that the implants are defective and says they're likely to rupture, spilling industrial silicone into our bodies. How are those of us with PIP implants supposed to feel about that? Does the Government expect us to be relieved?"
The news article continues in reporting that the expert group, led by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, found that after 10 years the PIP implants have a 15% to 30% chance of rupturing. Other breast implant brands have a 10% to 14% rupture rate in the same timeframe.
The Government's press release gave a brief overview of the findings of the report which many will see as a complete white-wash of the serious health concerns women have:
The expert group has found that:
- Exhaustive worldwide testing of the PiP gel material has not revealed anything that could cause a long-term threat to human health – they are not toxic and not carcinogenic.
- PiP implants do have a higher rupture rate – around 2 times higher. The rate of rupture appears to be around 6 to 12% after 5 years, rising to 15 to 30% after 10 years (this compares to 10 to 14% after 10 years for other brands of implants).
- PiP implants have a higher concentration of certain compounds called siloxanes – chemically similar to silicone but of a lower molecular weight and found in many consumer products, including hair and skin care products, antiperspirants and deodorants – but this does not present a health risk.
- Although the contents are not harmful and the gel has not been shown to contain any toxic substances, the inferior mechanical strength of the implants led the group to consider this a substandard product.
- If the implant does rupture, it has been found to cause local reactions around the implant area in a small proportion of women, which can result in symptoms such as tenderness or swollen lymph glands. There is no evidence that this causes any more significant general health concern however.
Meanwhile, Patrick McGuire, of Thompsons Solicitors, which backed the campaign group's call for a Scottish inquiry, is quoted in the Scotsman article as commenting:
"The Government appears to be satisfied with a sub-standard medical product that's been shown to rupture and leak mattress silicone into women's bodies.
That they are not issuing an immediate removal and replacement policy to all healthcare providers following today's report is alarming to say the least. If we can take anything from today's report it's that we need a more in-depth examination of the medical effects of PIP implant rupture."
As expected, Scotsman.com reports that a Scottish Government spokeswoman said:
"We welcome this report and would encourage all healthcare providers to note the findings, and to continue to provide the appropriate healthcare package for their patients. NHS Scotland will support any woman whose healthcare provider is no longer operating or is unable to offer the appropriate care."
You can download the full report from the E-Library by selecting keyword 'implants' or using keyword 'cancer'
Source: Scotsman.com / Dept of Health
