Fw: New research on silicone implants ...

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

ifriends@...

Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2003 7:50 PM

Subject: New "research" on silicone implants ...

I've seen many inaccurate stories about breast implants, but the recent one from an Albany TV station was one of the worst. Here is my response. Their story is below my letter.

Zuckerman

To Capital News 9:

Your segment on breast implants gave one doctor's opinion. Unfortunately, he is misinformed, and your reporters should have checked the facts.

For example:He said there are no prospective studies of breast implants. In fact, there are 5-year prospective studies on breast implants, conducted by the manufacturers of breast implants. They show very high complication rates, including infections, pain, and the need for additional surgery. The studies did not evaluate diseases, however.

The FDA conducted a study of women with implants for at least 7 years. They found that most silicone implants break within 11 years, and that one in five leaks silicone outside the breast area. Women with leaking implants are more likely to have fibromyalgia and other painful diseases compared to women whose breast implants didn't leak.

The National Cancer Institute of the NIH found that women with breast implants were twice as likely to die from brain cancer, three times as likely to die from lung diseases, and four times as likely to kill themselves, compared to other plastic surgery patients.

Dr. DeLuca says that the quality of breast implant shells has improved, so they are less likely to break. In fact, the shells of breast implants are thinner today than they were in the 1960's.

The one thing that he said that is correct is that it's important to conduct research to find out how safe an implant is. Unfortunately, just last year the American Society of Plastic Surgeons opposed Congressional efforts to require NIH study the long-term safety of implants for all women, including breast cancer patients. Unfortunately, the manufacturers have never conducted those studies except when required to do so.

I hope you will provide your viewers with accurate facts to make up for this very inaccurate story. Our nonprofit research center would be glad to provide all the published studies I have referred to in this letter.

Zuckerman, Ph.D.PresidentNational Center for Policy Research (CPR) for Women & Families1901 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20006202 223-4000

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/health_team_9/?ArID=29730 & SecID=17

To send feedback on this deceptive PR piece, go to:

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/contact_us/viewer_center/feedback/

New research on silicone implants

By: O'Hearn

Almost 10 years ago, the three largest producers of silicone breast

implants agreed to pay $4.75 billion to women harmed by their

products, and it didn't stop there.

Dr. DeLuca of The Plastic Surgery Group of Albany said, "The

reports were developing on the leakage and a the like, and the FDA,

around 1990, took silicone breast prosthesis off the market."

The fears that silicone breast implants could leak or rupture causing

severe illness seemed to have been confirmed by the FDA's decision.

However, DeLuca said there was never scientific evidence that silicone

breast implants were dangerous.

"There had never been any prospective research and that means you

follow either the drug or the device before it really gets released

out into the general public. All the research had been retrospective

or looking back," said DeLuca.

After researchers started looking back at the women who claimed

silicone breast implants were to blame for their rheumatologic

problems, they did some math.

DeLuca said, "They have found no greater incidence than the general

population. We didn't have this kind of information when that whole

silicone suit developed in the early 90's."

WATCH THE VIDEO Silicone research

New research may indicate silicone breast implants may not be as

dangerous as once thought.

As far as leaks and ruptures are concerned, DeLuca said this has to do

with the quality of the shell, which has since improved. For those

patients who experienced intense pain or swelling, that had more to do

with the actual implant and less to do with the kind of implant.

DeLuca explained, "That's not so much the result of the prosthesis

itself, but actually the body's response to having a foreign object

within it."

At least two million women in the United States have breast implants

-- 80 percent of those for cosmetic reasons. Right now, women can only

get silicone implants if they have had a problem with saline implants,

meaning ruptures or leaks. DeLuca said that is about to change.

He said, "The feeling is that within the next year or two, silicone

prosthesis will probably be re-released for general use."

DeLuca said he and many other doctors feel silicone implants are safe

and unlike saline, have a look and feel that is more similar to a

natural breast.

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