Plastic Surgery Advocacy

PIP Breast Implants

December 2011: World media has recently reported on a ‘safety communication’ released by numberous Health Regulatory Agencies about a recall of implants manufactured by Poly-Implant Prosthese of France. The Australian agency, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has released updates relating to PIP which can be reviewed at this link.

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) and Breast Implant

In the News

Australian media has recently reported on a ‘safety communication’ released by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a possible association between breast implants and  this extremely rare form of cancer. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the Australian body responsible for making decisions in relation to the safety of medical devices and to inform the public and health practitioners of its findings. In May 2009 the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons alerted the TGA to this possible link and since then we have had discussions with both the FDA and TGA and kept a close watch on the issue.

The global incidence is small in relation to the millions of breast implant procedures performed each year. The reports should not alarm anyone. If patients have any concerns we suggest they consult with their doctor. Patients are entitled to be aware of all possible risks before making a decision about any procedure. There is no recommendation to withdraw breast implants from use or have them removed.

- To download the ASPS ALCL ‘Guide for Patients’ please click here.

- To read the ALCL media release from Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons click here.

- To read the TGA statement click here.

- To read the FDA statements click here and click here.