Scottish PIP Implant victims denounce report findings and say their fight for justice shall continue

Scottish  PIP  implant  victims  are  disappointed  but  not  surprised  by  the findings of the Government’s final expert report on the PIP implants scandal, published this morning.

The  official  report  concludes  that  although  PIP  implants  have  a  higher  risk  of  rupture than other products, they are not deemed to be toxic or carcinogenic. 

Spokeswoman for the PiP Implants Scotland campaign group, Trisha Devine, said:

“The conclusions in today’s report were disappointingly predicable. 

“We  thought  the  rupture  rate  would  be  higher  than  officials  expected,  and  we  were hoping for  a  fresh  insight  into  the  scandal.  Instead  we  get  a  rehashed  version  of  the  previous Government report which does little to calm the fears of the victims. 

“The  report  states  that  the  implants  are  defective  and  says  they’re  likely  to  rupture  - spilling  industrial  silicone  into  our  bodies.  How  are  those  of  us  with  PIP  implants supposed to feel about that? Does the Government expect us to be relieved?

“What  about  aftercare?  There’s  still  no  direct  pressure  on  clinics  to  help  their  patients and the best the Government can do is say that clinics “should support” women with PIP implant concerns.   

“The current situation is an utter disgrace. Some clinics are offering to scan, remove and replace for  free  and  others  are  charging  for  everything.  There’s  no  consistency  in  how Scottish women are being treated by their clinics. We don't know where we stand.

 “We  need  to  have  a  clear  commitment  from  the  Government  that  they’ll  remove  and replace these implants.”

Lawyer for the victims and partner at Thompsons Solicitors, Patrick McGuire, commented:

“The  Government  appears  to  be  satisfied  with  a  substandard  medical  product  that’s been  shown  to  rupture  and  leak  mattress  silicone  into  women’s  bodies.  That  they  are not  issuing  an  immediate  removal  and  replacement  policy  to  all  healthcare  providers following today’s report is alarming to say the least. 

“If  we  can  take  anything  from  today’s  report  it’s  that  we  need  a  more  in-depth examination of the medical effects of PIP implant rupture.

"The  more  that  we  learn  about  this  scandal  the  clearer  it  becomes  that  the  most profound area of concern here is an administrative and regulatory one, where the buck stops  firmly  with  the  NHS  and  the  Scottish  Government. You  wonder  if  that  is  the reason that the victim's call for a Public Inquiry have thus far fallen on death ears?

"The  clinics  were  not  properly  regulated  and  they  still  are  not.    The  Scottish  NHS  did nothing to ensure the safety of medical products and it still does not. And, the medical response of the NHS was patchy, slow and insufficient and it remains so.

“This is a very serious public health issue and the worrying rupture rates confirmed in the expert report really make the case for a dramatic change in the way private health clinics operate.

“It’s  also  abundantly  clear  that  a  Scottish  ‘safety  net’  should  be  established, dedicated to investigating thoroughly medical products and their suitability for use, so this scandal can never happen again. 

“It’s important for the victims of this scandal to realise that while their health clinics and their Government may have left them out in the cold, the law is there to protect them. 

“I’d urge all victims of the PiP scandal to seek legal advice to find out their rights. Anyone affected should call us free on 0800 081 29 24”