Compensation for 2,500 women given illegal breast implants, French court rules
20 May 2021, 11:01
Over 2,500 women who received breast implants containing unapproved silicone gel should receive compensation, a French appeal court has ruled.
The implants, manufactured by a French company and deemed safe by German firm TÜV Rheinland, can split and leak industrial-grade silicon into the body, which causes long-term health problems for affected women.
"We are delighted with this outcome which definitively puts an end to the doubts about TUV's responsibility," said lawyer Olivier Aumaitre who represented the women.
"After 10 years of waiting and fierce combat, the German certifier will have to fully compensate the victims."
Read more: 11,000 people may have missed breast cancer diagnosis due to Covid
Read more: Covid vaccines now available to people aged 34 and over in England
PIP breast implants, which are between two and six times more likely to rupture than standard silicone implants, were withdrawn from the UK in 2010 after it was found they had been fraudulently manufactured.
However, this was after around 47,000 British women had them fitted, mostly for breast reconstruction following surgery for breast cancer.
Nearly 11,000 women could be living with undiagnosed breast cancer
While most of them are still living with the implants, some have suffered from ruptures which can cause pain, swelling and redness.
In some cases, the removal of the leaking implant does not alleviate the symptoms.
Jan Spivey, one of the women in the case, had PIP implants fitted 20 years ago following treatment for breast cancer, and subsequently developed joint pain and fatigue and had the implants removed.
"My PIP implants from 20 years ago are still impacting on my life and my health and my wellbeing, even today," she told the BBC.
As many as 400,000 women worldwide have been fitted with illegal PIP implants.
The ruling will have wider implications for them, in particular the 20,000 other women who are taking similar legal action.
TÜV Rheinland are yet to comment on the ruling.
