Czech ministry advises women to remove PIP breast implants

Prague - The Czech Health Ministry recommends that women with the risk PIP breast implants have them removed. If they do not want to, they should undergo regular checks, ministry spokesman Vlastimil Srsen told CTK today.

Only in the weeks to come a discussion will be held with health insurers on who should cover the surgery costs, Srsen said.

In the 10.5 million Czech Republic, a total of 3,000 PIP implants have been provided to some 2000 women for both health and cosmetic reasons.

The country´s largest insurer, VZP, covered the surgery for 210 women in 2007-2010.

One "undesired accident" concerning the PIP implants has been reported to the Czech Drugs Control Institute (SUKL) so far.

"The ministry respects expert associations´ recommendation that women have the risk French-made implants removed," Srsen said.

The women should apply for the implants´ removal at the respective health centres that operated on them originally, he added.

If a woman has undergone breast reconstruction over an inborn defect and if she does not want to undergo a new surgery, she will stay under her plastic surgeon´s monitoring.

If health reason, i.e. cancer, were behind the breast reconstruction, the woman remains in the care of the relevant oncological centre.

In the case of women that chose implants for cosmetic reasons, the ministry recommends that they go to a check, ultrasound if possible, once a year, Srsen said.

The French association for drug control AFFSAPS warned of the PIP implants´ possible ruptures and consequent health complications late last year. In reaction to it, the Czech distributor in cooperation with the SUKL conveyed the warning to health centres in the Czech Republic that stopped using the implants. Author: CTK
www.ctk.cz

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