PIP: MHRA response to breast cover-up accusations

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has responded to accusations of a cover-up in the popular press.

The article by Jonathan Corke published in the Daily Star on 19th of February 2012 claimed that legal attempts to access safety data on breast implants made by the French company Poly Implant Protheses (PIP) have been refused on the grounds of confidentiality. A letter posted on the MHRA’s website from the Clinical Director, Dr. Susan Ludgate, notes that claims of “secret test results" is factually incorrect and directs readers . Direction is provided to the results of the MHRA's tests on PIP implants published on its website. Dr. Ludgate also notes that further testing is currently underway and that, although the tests will take some time to complete, the results will be available on the MHRA website once they have been evaluated by an independent group of experts.

Dr. Ludgate strongly suggests that the Daily Star article is corrected as it is misleading and could add to what is for many women a very difficult and potentially distressing time. The situation must certainly be causing angst and worry for the 40,000 women in the UK who have received implants made by PIP. Some may already be experiencing side effects that are being caused by the implants. The position of the UK Government is clear, irrespective of whether treated by a private clinic, ALL women who are concerned about their breast implants can get advice from their NHS doctor and are entitled to a free scan if they wish. Patients who had implants on the NHS can have them replaced but for now those who had them done privately remain the responsibility of the private clinics.