France to Pay for Silicone Breast Implant Removals Over Safety Concerns

Here we go again with breast implant problems: a recent news story highlighted how France is paying to remove risky breast implants from tens of thousands of women. The implants were manufactured in France and carry the risk of leakage and nine women with the implants have developed cancer, although French officials argue that there is no connection between the implants and cancer. The mass removals have been called "preventative" and not urgent.

I have represented dozens of women here in Michigan as a result of injury due to defective and dangerous breast implants, but due to bankruptcy issues and multi district litigation the women were not adequately compensated. Now we see more problems with breast implants. According to the French Health Minister, Xavier Bertrand, an unusually high risk exists that the implants could rupture and leak a questionable type of silicone into the body.

Investigators say that the French manufacturer used cheaper industrial silicone instead of medical silicone to save money. An estimated 30,000 women in France and tens of thousands more in Britain, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, as well as other places in Europe and South America have received the French implants. The implants were not sold in the U.S. However, in the U.S. concerns about silicone implants led to a 14-year ban and were brought back to the market in 2006.