More than 250 women to sue clinics over PIP breast implants

More than 250 women with silicone breast implants are set to sue at least six clinics in the UK, it has been reported.

Around 40,000 women in the UK received silicone breast implants made by the now bankrupt French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP). They were filled with non-medical grade silicone thought to be made for mattresses, which makes them more likely to break.

Most surgeries using the PIP implants in the UK were carried out at private clinics. The implants have been linked to eight cases of cancer in France.

The women are taking legal action amid reports that the French Government plans to recommend and foot the bill for the removal of the defective implants for the 30,000 women in France who currently have them.

Mark Harvey, a partner at Hugh James Solicitors which is representing the women, said: "We wanted to pursue claims against PIP or its insurers. It is quite clear that is not viable."

The lawyers intend to apply for the cases to be considered as a class action at a court hearing in Cardiff next month.

"We have spent a lot of time trying to persuade clinics to resolve the matter without going to litigation. That has not worked so far," Mr Harvey added.

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), along with experts in the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Denmark and Malta said there was "no evidence in incidents of cancer associated with PIP breast implants."

Reports to the MHRA suggest that around one per cent of women in the UK with PIP breast implants have suffered implant failure, including rupture.

This figure is lower than that reported by the French medical device regulatory authority, AFSSAPS, which suggests a failure rate of around 5 per cent in France, the Agency said.

Consultant plastic surgeon and former BAAPS President Douglas McGeorge said: "The message here is not to panic – our main advice remains unchanged.

"Women with PIP implants should be checked by the clinic where they had their surgery and can then be monitored afterwards.

"These implants have a higher failure rate so there will be women who might choose to have their implants removed before that happens, whereas others will be happy to be monitored."

This article was published on Thu 22 December 2011