London — Despite a rupture rate double that of other implant brands, the British National Health Service has ruled that implants made by French firm Poly Implant Prothese do not pose a long-term threat to patients.
The implants, which were made with unauthorized, substandard silicone filler, are neither toxic nor carcinogenic, the BBC reports.
The review, led by NHS medical director Bruce Keogh, F.R.C.S., concluded there was insufficient evidence to recommend routine removal of the implants. Nearly 50,000 women in the U.K. received the implants.
About 95 percent of the women fitted for the PIP implants received them from private providers, according to the report. The 5 percent who received the implants through the NHS were mainly for breast reconstruction following cancer.
“We have, however, found that these implants are substandard, when compared to other implants and that they are more likely to rupture,” Dr. Keogh said. “We would therefore advise that women who have symptoms of a rupture — for example tenderness, soreness or lumpiness — should speak to their surgeon or GP.”
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