Pert PIPs - Breast Implant Scandal

The Stationery Office recently published PIP breast implants and regulation of cosmetic interventions. It was in March 2010 that the French regulator the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitare des Produits de Santé found that the French Company Poly Implant Prothéses (PIP) had been using non-authorised silicone in the manufacturing of breast implants. In December 2011 there was an increase in reporting of ruptures of PIP implants and fears that the unauthorised silicone could pose a risk of cancer. The French Ministry of Health advised the routine removal of PIP implants on a precautionary and non-urgent basis. It is estimated that about 40 000 UK women have received these implants prior to the withdrawal from the market. Out of the 40 000 only 3 000 women received them through the NHS. Since the PIP breast implant scandal the Government has announced a number of reviews, Sir Bruce Keogh is to access the evidence on the risk of the PIP implant and also will conduct and wider review into the regulation of cosmetics. Earl Howe is conducting a review into the actions of the MHRA and the Department of Health. In the summary it states “ the replacement implants for private patients should only be provided on the NHS where there is a clinical need. However, the Committee invites the Dept. of Health to propose a framework that would allow women in certain circumstances to combine NHS removal of implants with paid-for private surgery to insert replacements.”