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27th January 2012

PIP breast implant founder arrested

The founder of French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) faces charges of “involuntary injury” French prosecutors have said after the arrest of Jean-Claude Mas, 72, and a second executive from the now defunct company on the 26th of January.

Mr Mas has been under investigation since he revealed that PIP employees were ordered to hide the unauthorised silicone used in implants when inspectors visited. Mr Mas told the police in an interview last year that PIP had misled European safety inspectors for 13 years.

Mr Mas may also be charged with involuntary homicide (manslaughter) relating to the 2010 cancer death of a French woman with PIP implants, but for now the judge appointed to the case has decided that no link has been proved.

The sub-standard silicone gel which has led to leaks and ruptures was used in 75% of PIP implants. Although Mr Mas has confirmed the silicone was unauthorised he rejects any suggestion that it posed or poses a health risk.

Thousands of women worldwide have defective PIP breast implants

More than 400,000 women in 65 countries are believed to have PIP breast implants, which was once the world's third-largest breast-implant manufacturer.

Health officials in France, Germany, Czech Republic and Venezuela have recommended that all women with PIP breast implants have them removed.

Medical advice in the UK, where around 40,000 women have PIP breast implants, is that there is no need for a blanket removal of all PIP breast implants, only women who are suffering problems such as pain or tenderness should consider removal.

Women with PIP breast implants fitted on the NHS can have them removed and replaced free of charge. The NHS will also remove but not replace PIP breast implants for private patients if the implanting clinic refuses to do so.

A number of private clinics have announced that they will remove PIP breast implants free of charge and on the 26th January two more private firms – Transform and The Hospital Group – joined that list.

Transform have said they will remove PIP breast implants for patients who have had them since 2001, but replacement implants will have to be paid for.

The Hospital Group announced free removal for patients who had the implants fitted between 2001 and 2009.   Again women will have to pay for replacement implants.

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