“We are faced with a health crisis linked to a scam. The whole profession is aware of it.”-Laurent Lantieri, plastic surgeon

The case of Poly Implant Prosthesis (PIP) is spreading to other countries, and several cancer cases could now be linked, and insurance companies are now suing. 

More than 300,000 women, in 65 countries including France, Italy, Spain, U.K., Venezuela, Brazil, Germany and Ukraine could be affected by the PIP silicon breasts.  At least 1000 women in France had their implants rupture.

PIP filed for bankruptcy after they were sued in British court, and lost.  Then it was revealed they were using industrial silicon, instead of medical grade silicon, in their breast implants.  But now important company documents, along with the company’s founder, Jean-Claude Mas, have gone missing and Interpol is looking for them.

In 2010, at least one case of a woman who died from cancer, was being investigated as murder because of her PIP implants.  On December 30, 2011, the French government revealed that at least 20 cases of cancer can be directly linked to PIP: “…there were three cases of lymphoma, 15 cases of breast adenocarcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer, one case of adenocarcinoma of the lung, and one case of acute myeloid leukemia.”-French Health Products Safety Agency

The government of Italy has ordered doctors and hospitals to report women who have PIP made implants.  Brazil and the United Kingdom are telling women with PIP implants to get checked up right away.  Brazil has banned the use of PIP products. France’s National Health Insurance Fund is now suing.  Venezuela’s government says it will pay for removing PIP implants.  In 2000, the U.S. FDA banned PIP products from the being used in the United States.

In a perverted twist, Jean-Claude Mas’s son and daughter have filed papers to create a new silicon implant company, and they list their father as an official consultant.  I wonder if Interpol knows.  The new company is scheduled to open in June 2012.