What are PIP Implants? PIP Implants are silicone breast implants manufactured by French company, Poly Implants Prothese (PIP). It is reported that as many as 50,000 women, including thousands in the UK, could have received these implants.
Why are PIP Implants in the news? On the 31st March 2010 the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) released a Medical Device Alert in relation to all silicone gel filled breast implants manufactured by PIP, recalling all devices to the UK supplier. Recent testing by the French Authorities have confirmed that there are concerns that PIP Implants are more prone to rupture than other breast implants however the MHRA have confirmed that the implants are not a health risk.
PIP Implants are commonly referred to in the news as ‘cheap’ breast implants however from our experience, many women paid high prices from clinics for these breast implants or, were not give a choice as to which implants they were given.
Do I have PIP Implants? If you have had breast augmentation but are unsure as to whether or not you have PIP Implants, please firstly check the documentation you received from your implanting clinic. If there is no information in relation to the type of implant you received, please contact your implanting clinic directly who should be able to confirm whether or not you have PIP implants.
Are PIP Implants dangerous? The MHRA have announced that, from the testing they have carried out, the gel inside the implant is not toxic or cancerous and therefore not a health risk. The advice we are giving our clients is that they seek medical advice as soon as possible but please not to panic.
Will the MHRA want to hear from me? Yes, the MHRA will want to hear from all women with PIP breast implants. This will help the MHRA assess the safety of the implants and will guide them as to how many women have been affected by this faulty product. Please click here to be directed to the MHRA’s adverse reporting pages
What do I do next? Firstly, please seek medical advice. We advise our clients to firstly speak to their GP and to take all information that you have in relation to PIP Implants with you so that your GP can understand the concerns in relation to these implants.
Contact your clinic to discuss your possible next steps with them.
The French authorities and BAAPS have recommended that all women with PIP Implants have an ultrasound although this has not been advised by the MHRA. You may therefore want to discuss having an ultrasound with your GP and / or implanting clinic. If you are interested in pursuing a claim, please contact Hugh James on 02920 224 871 to discuss in more details; we represent many ladies who will be in a very similar situation and we would be very happy to help.
Do I have a claim? If you have had PIP implants for less than 10 years and are unhappy that you have these implants after what you have read about their quality, we believe you may have a claim. We believe that you may have a claim even if you have not suffered from any problems with your implants. Please contact Hugh James on 02920 224 871 to discuss your potential claim in more detail.
Hugh James Solicitors is representing over 225 women with PIP Implants and therefore your claim will be in safe hands with Hugh James.
How will I fund my claim with Hugh James?
All clients with PIP Implants are either represented through a legal cover that they already have as part of an existing insurance policy or through a Conditional Fee Agreement, a ‘No Win, No Fee’ Agreement. Please contact Hugh James on 02920 224 871 to discuss your funding options in more detail.
Should I tell my clinic about my claim with Hugh James?
As we are representing over 225 women with PIP Implants, we have already been in contact with most clinics that have been using PIP Implants therefore they will probably already be aware of our claims. Being instructed by us should not harm your relationship with the clinic.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR SOLICITOR WILL NOT BE MEDICALLY QUALIFIED AND THEREFORE YOU SHOULD ALWAYS RELY ON YOUR GP / BREAST SURGEON FOR ADVICE ON WHAT MEDICAL STEPS TO TAKE IN RELATION TO YOUR PIP BREAST IMPLANTS AND ALL OTHER MEDICAL ISSUES.
