Fw: Bergen Record Letter to the Editor re silicone implants

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----- Original Message ----- From: Zuckerman

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Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 6:22 PM

Subject: Bergen Record Letter to the Editor re silicone implants

This was published in response to the same L.A. Times article on implants (written by Jane ) that was also published in the Bergen Record (NJ) on Feb. 2 and is available online at northjersey.com.

To the Editor:

Comeback for silicone?" (Health, Page F-7, Feb. 2) is an alarming reminder of what is - and isn't - known about the health risks of breast implants.

In addition to the Food and Drug Administration finding an increased risk of connective tissue disease among women with leaking silicone implants, your readers may want to know that the National Cancer Institute reported an increased cancer risk among all implant patients compared to other women.

A second NCI study reported that women with implants were three times more likely to die from lung cancer and other respiratory diseases and twice as likely to die from brain cancer, compared to other plastic surgery patients. In both NCI studies, disease and deaths were higher for women with silicone or saline breast implants than they were for other women of the same age.

The article is filled with optimistic quotes about improvements made in silicone breast implants, which plastic surgeons hope will solve the leakage problem that has harmed so many women. Unfortunately, the history of breast implants is based on exactly that kind of spin doctoring, instead of science. For almost 40 years, every new breast implant that was developed was promoted with great fanfare - but so far, fanfare has often been followed by anguish years later when risks became a reality.

Zuckerman

Washington, D.C., Feb. 4

The writer is president of the National Center for Policy Research for Women & Families, a think tank on medical and scientific issues

Zuckerman, Ph.D.PresidentNational Center for Policy Research (CPR) for Women & Families1901 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWSuite 901Washington, DC 20006202 223-4000www.center4policy.org

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