Hundreds more women at risk of faulty implants

Health authorities are trying to trace hundreds more Irish women who may have received the potentially dangerous PIP breast implants as far back as 1997.

The Irish Medicines Board said French authorities have confirmed the Poly Implant Prosthèse (PIP) implants, which contain industrial silicone rather than medical-grade fillers and may be more prone to rupture and leak than other implants, were inserted in patients prior to 2001.

“To date all advice issued internationally regarding the PIP breast implants issue has referred to patients who received PIP breast implants from 2001 to 2010,” the Irish Medicines Board said in a statement.