PIP Breast Implants: Mps Condemn NHS Stance In England

The stance taken in England on replacing PIP breast implants - at the centre of a health scare - "flies in the face of common sense", MPs say. Patients who had implants privately can have them removed, but not replaced, on the NHS if the clinic will not help. The Commons Health Committee said that meant patients being operated on twice and urged the NHS to remove and replace, with a charge for the latter. Ministers said allowing people to pay for treatment would set a precedent. The system called for by MPs would probably see patients paying about �1,500 for replacement on the NHS unless their private clinic agreed to cover the cost. The cross-party group said the current position seemed to be putting women off having the implants removed. They said doing it in one procedure made much more sense on both economic and safety grounds. A review of the implants safety was ordered earlier this year because of conflicting data about the risk of the implants rupturing and leaking non-medical grade silicone into the body. They were made by the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).