British women begin legal action over defective breast implants
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Around 250 British women with breast implants made by a French firm are suing the UK clinics that performed the surgery.
The move comes amid warnings by leading doctors about the risks of rupture and possible links to cancer associated with the implants made by the firm Poly Implant Prothese, or PIP. Up to 50,000 women in Britain are thought to have the pre-filled silicone gel implants made by the now-defunct company.
The implants have been linked to the death of a French woman from a rare form of cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and the implants are implicated in another seven or eight similar cases.
They are filled with an unapproved gel and there have been reports that the protective barriers are faulty. Hundreds of the women affected by the product are to pursue high court case in Cardiff next year, according to Mark Harvey, a partner at Hugh James solicitors, who is representing them.
French authorities will formally announce tomorrow that up to 30,000 women who received a specific type of implant in France can have them taken out.
But the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said there is no evidence to support removal of the implants.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments