It has been confirmed to us by the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) that some patients who had their surgeries organised through Advanced Cosmetic Surgery Ltd did in fact receive PIP breast implants. As in the case of The Hospital Group before this, the IMB has only confirmed this to be the case after we inquired on behalf of clients who suspected they may have received the problem implants.
The IMB maintains its official line that only patients of the Harley Medical Group, Clane Hospital and Shandon Street Hospital received PIP implants despite the obvious misunderstandings that arise because many patients contracted with a particular provider, e.g. Advanced Cosmetic Surgery or The Hospital Group, but were sent to Shandon Street Hospital for the surgical stage of the augmentation procedure.
Our request for a complete list of any cosmetic surgery providers whose patients may have received PIP implants appear to have fallen on deaf ears. The IMB have failed to address the request in our e-mails.
Meanwhile the IMB website has published its first news update on the situation in just under a month. The five-line update links to a report by the European Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) and concludes that results are uncertain. The recommendation by the IMB continues to be that patients should consult with their implanting surgeons on what action they should take.
This advice is of little comfort to women who have done just that, given the responses many have received. Clients have reported to us again and again statements by the surgeons involved that if they were to remove all the problem implants they would go bankrupt. The clear conflict of interest in such an arrangement makes the IMB recommendation seem slightly ridiculous.
To add to this there is the concern that clinics are cynically exploiting the duress many women find themselves under, financially and mentally, to insist that they sign comprehensive waivers and indemnities absolving the clinic for any injury or loss that may have resulted, or may result in the future from the faulty implants as is the case with The Hospital Group. If the implants are so benign why are they insisting that such weighty legal documents be signed prior to removal?
This behaviour would be objectionable enough if it was in return for a worry-free removal or replacement, but each of the women who report having had such an offer from the Hospital Group explain that they are required to travel to England for the surgery at their own expense. All of this after they are first required to establish that their implants are in fact ruptured, which again they must do without any assistance from the clinics, usually at a cost of between €200-€600.
The SCENIHR report referred to above is a 74-page document which requires a level of expertise to fully comprehend. It is written from a sceptical point of view which does not draw conclusions in the absence of proof as any scientific paper should be. However it is important to note that the report states that it is based on limited data because there is no representative PIP implant, the quality and ingredients of the implants varied over the 9-year period in which they were manufactured.
A different, more human, approach is necessary for the approximately 1,500 Irish women and reported 300,000 women worldwide who are aware that they have objects in their bodies that should not have been approved approved for such use. The position that there is no need to remedy their situation until it can be proven that they are at risk seems short sighted and does not take into consideration the stress and worry these women are suffering everyday as they try to figure out how and where they will have the implants removed.
Hi..How is it possible to find out if I had PIP implants? I went to Advanced Cosmetic Surgery which is now closed down. Please help as I am very worried.
Hi Grazia,
Thanks for your comment.
Joseph will make contact with you directly in relation to your query.
Kind regards,
Flor McCarthy
went to advanced cosmetic surgery in cork in 2008 which is now closed down,living in england now,i am very worried.
Thanks for your comment Ciara.
Joseph will make contact with you directly.
Kind regards,
Flor
Hi.. I had my Breast implants in advanced cosmetic surgery in nov 2001 I hear they are no longer in ireland where do I go to find out if mine faulty?? Many thanks..
Hi my name is Jennifer, i had breast augmentation about three years ago, with advanced cosmetics Dublin they are now closed down, important very worried as i don’t know what i have in and have been getting very sore nipples lately and only just heard not long ago about the story surrounding it regards Jen.
Hi Vickie and Jen,
Thanks for your comments.
Joseph will make contact with each of you separately privately to see how we may be able to help.
Kind regards,
Flor
Hi I went to the shandon street hospital in cork but now they are closed in around 2005or 2006 how would I found out more about if I had pips inserted and what should I do thanks
hi i had breast enlargement in 2005 or 2006 in cork with advanced cosmetics how would i find out what kind eg pip thankyou
Hi Carol and Catherine.
Thanks for your comments. Joseph will make contact with both of you directly.
Kind regards,
Flor
Hi ,I had a breast Augmentation in 2004 at Advanced Cosmetic Surgery , they have since closed and I am worried I have PIP implants. what should I do.
Hi, I have also had my breasts done with advanced cosmetic surgery, my breasts seem to be miss shaped now and my nipples are very sore. How can I find out if these are pip implants, im very worried.
regards
Julie
I also have my implants done with advanced cosmetic back in 2008 and are very sore around the outside of the breast how can i find out if this is related to PIP i am very worried now
Hi Louise, Julie and Wendy,
Thanks for your comments.
Joseph will make contact with each of you directly if he hasn’t done so already.
Kind regards,
Flor
Hi
I had breast implants in 2006 in advance cosmetic in cork which is now closed down. How can I find out if I have PIP implants? I now live in Australia and am very worried as I am getting pains in my left breast and now my left shoulder.
Please help
Thank you
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your comment. Joseph will make contact with you directly.
Kind regards,
Flor
Hi,
I’m so grateful to have found these postings, I had breast augmentation in 2006 with Advanced and have recently been experiencing pains in my right breast I have no way of checking if they were PIP’s and feel distraught.
Could someone please contact me also!
I’d be most grateful.
-Edel