LONDON – Anxious women given PIP breast implants on the National Health Service will be able to have them removed for free, with private firms expected to offer the same deal, the British government said yesterday.
While experts concluded there is no evidence to recommend routine removal of the implants, they said they could not entirely rule out that some are toxic. About 40,000 women in the UK received the implants, manufactured by a now-closed French company Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP), which were filled with silicone intended for use in mattresses.
The government said those patients who had their implants on the NHS as part of breast reconstruction surgery – believed to be about five per cent of the total – will be able to have them removed and replaced if they are concerned. The government expects private firms to give the same offer to anxious women who paid for their implants privately and also wish to have them taken out.
All women who have received an implant on the NHS will be contacted and offered a consultation with their GP or their original surgical team.
They could be offered scans to see if there is any evidence that their implant has ruptured.
With the support of their doctor, women who still have concerns will be able to have them removed and replaced free of charge on the NHS. The Department of Health said it expected private firms to match the NHS offer.
It said: “Private providers have legal obligations to their patients. The NHS will offer a package of care for its patients, and we expect the private sector to do the same.” If the private clinic that provided PIP implants has closed down, the NHS will pay for removing the implants if the patient is entitled to NHS care. – (PA)