British women in new implant safety alert
BRITISH WOMEN IN NEW IMPLANT SAFETY ALERT
A French company is again at the centre of a breast implant scandal as tens of thousands of women are warned in a new safety alert. Paul Balen, product liability specialist at regional heavyweight law firm Freeth Cartwright has been acting for women claiming to have been damaged by implants containing hydrogel solution that were banned in December 2000.
Manufacturers Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) were closed down by French authorities which accused it of fraudulently using a non-approved silicone gel for almost 10 years. The company, which exported its products to 66 countries, has gone into liquidation.
Paul Balen said: “I have secured many judgments against the company for supplying defective implants. Most judgments remain unpaid even though PIP’s French insurers assured the English courts that it would pay any sums awarded to British women who had defective hydrogel filled breast implants.
“PIP have also paid compensation to women for supplying defective breast implants filled with silicone.”
Mr Balen called for tighter controls, saying he had notified the MHRA of defects found with PIP breast implants and the fact that its insurers refuse to pay compensation awarded by English courts. He added: “Nothing has been done by the authorities who seem to do too little too late to protect British consumers. I also expressed concern when I appeared before the House of Commons Health Committee investigating breast implants in 2001.
“There needs to be an urgent inquiry as to how this company was allowed to continue to supply defective products to women in this country whilst at the same time being uninsured.”
To read the full article as reported in The Daily Mail, please click here.
To read the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) report, please click here.
ends - 14 April 2010
For more information contact:
Paul Balen
Freeth Cartwright LLP
Tel: 0845 050 3289
Email: paul.balen@freethcartwright.co.uk