France Advises 30K to Yank Breast Implants

Poly Implant Prothese used industrial-grade silicone
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 23, 2011 8:19 AM CST
France Advises Yanking Suspect Breast Implants
Silicone gel breast implants made by French company Poly Implant Prothese, or PIP.   (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The French government today advised women who got breast implants from Poly Implant Prothèse to have them removed post-haste, and even offering up public health care funds to finance the operation, over fears that they might rupture or cause irritation. The PIP boobs were yanked off the market last year, over accusations that they were filled with industrial-grade silicone—the stuff used in things like computer chips and spatulas, Reuters explains.

France said that there was no evidence that the implants boosted cancer risk, but more than 1,000 French women have suffered ruptures, so they’re recommending their removal as a preventative measure. Some 30,000 women in France and 300,000 worldwide received PIP implants, though mainly in Europe and Latin America—none were sold in the US, according to the New York Times. Britain today added that it was not echoing France’s recommendation, citing the lack of cancer risk. (More breast implants stories.)

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