CEO of PIP Breast Implant Company Now on Trail

This is an update on the PIP breast implant tragedy. However, I would like to remind you that the French made PIP implants have never been used in the United States. At Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery we use American made Mentor breast implants or Allergen implants, which are both completely safe, FDA approved, and of course made of medical grade silicone.

You might remember the PIP breast implant scandal in Europe that came to light last year. It came to light that the Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) silicone gel implants had been filled with industrial grade silicone, usually used in manufacturing mattresses. Later in the year, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), England’s equivalent to the FDA, recommended thousands of woman have these implants removed. Jean-Claude Mas, the CEO and founder of the company that made the implants, has been brought to trial. He is quoted as saying, “I apologize to the plaintiffs for the gel used by PIP since 1992,” and that “the anxiety syndrome described is real. I understand that they are suffering and that they are afraid.” Mas was talking about the 5,000 women in England who have brought lawsuits against him, in addition to possible criminal charges of manslaughter.

Although over 500,000 women world-wide may have been implanted with the dangerous implants, PIP implants were never used in the United States. This is a very large number of women who have been effected. Slowly over the past few years, surgeons have been removing the PIP implants and replacing them with implants made with medical grade silicone, if the women desire the implants be replaced. In England, the National Health Service is offering to pay for the removal of the implants only if medically needed. Some British physicians are banding together to demand the NHS pay for removal of the dangerous implants from all 50,000 women who were fitted with them in the UK, now that the British and French governments have both recommended the removal officially. The trial, which is going on right now, is expected to last through May 17th at least. In fact the trail had to be moved to a larger venue just to fit of the 5,000 victims and their lawyers into the room. The women are angry and looking for justice. Do you think Mas’s apology is enough? We certainly don’t.

Dr. Branman

Call Melinda at the front desk to set up a consultation 501-227-0707