The EU Commission has published a scientific risk assessment of breast implants from the French company PIP, Poly Implant Prothese.
The report goes through the problems related to the implants, e.g. the frequency of leaking and the risk of various types of cancer.
The main conclusion of the report is that the available data is still too limited to determine conclusively whether or not PIP implants are associated with health risks.
The report maintains that there is still no suspicion that the implants are associated with an increased risk of cancer. Data indicate that the PIP implants leak more frequently and earlier than ordinary implants,and that the silicone gel used in the manufacturing of the implants is industrial gel, which in animal testing has proven to cause local irritation.
The Danish National Board of Health still encourages women to contact the clinic having performed the first operation and, if the clinic has closed down, to contact their own doctor for an individual assessment of whether the implants need to be removed. The risk assessment identifies a number of areas where further knowledge is needed.
From Denmark, Doctor Lisbet Rosenkrantz from Herlev Hospital participated in this work.
