Platinum hypersensitivity and toxicity - please read - very important!

[Guest guest]

" CANDO has received a small grant and has limited

funding to offer free testing for breast implanted

women with 1988 or later implants (which includes both

third and fourth generation) and their children if

they have any born after implantation. "

Platinum hypersensitivity and toxicity

Platinum salts are recognized by the scientific and

medical community as one of the most hyper-sensitizing

agents known to man. A complex platinum salt

(hexachloroplatinate) has been used as the catalyst in

making the gel and envelopes of silicone breast

implants. Dow advised the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) in 1996 of significant risk to their

platinum catalyst used in making breast implants.

Lykissa and Maharaj (2006) research states platinum

salt exposure has been associated with positive

skin-patch tests, dermatitis (rashes), asthma,

immunogenicity, inhibitory effects on brain enzymes

(brain damage), neurotoxicty, mutagenicity,

carcinogenicity, and allergic anaphylactic reactions.

Harbut, M.D., MPH, FCCP, with the Center for

Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Michigan

reports " I have treated over 1,000 women with breast

implants and have regularly seen the disease caused by

platinum salt exposures. As I published in 1999,

women with exposure to platinum salts via their

implants commonly present with shortness of breath,

asthma, itching, memory loss, gastrointestinal

disturbances, sometimes pulmonary fibrosis and COPD

(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) among other,

less common presentations.

When asked to define immunogenicity in simple to

understand terms, Dr. Harbut responded by saying

" Immunogenicity is an induction of the immune

apparatus. In silicone breast implant patients, it

most commonly results in rash, " allergic " responses to

other non-platinum containing substances, itching,

shortness of breath, cough, asthma, joint pain, and

gastro-intestinal disturbances. " Dr. Harbut notified

the FDA in 1993 that platinum from breast implants was

a problem. He sent PET scans of two of his patients

brains, indicating they were abnormal before explant,

and normal after.

S. , M.D., M.S., a board certified

internist, allergist, and immunologist published

research (1999) on 87 people with surgical implants,

three quarters of whom had received breast implants.

found that compared to controls, implant

recipients reported many more, and more severe,

adverse responses to everyday chemical exposures.

Further, implant recipients reported far more severe

reactions to a wide variety of foods, medications,a

and other common exposures than did controls. For

more than a decade, Dr. 's research has focused

on people who report developing chronic, multi-system

symptoms - headaches, memory and concentration

difficulties, depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia,

gastrointestinal problems, etc. - following an

identifiable environmental exposure.

There are now four generations of implants. First

generation implants before 1976 had thick shells but

poorly cohesive gels. Second generation implants

starting around 1976 until 1988 had thin shells and

thin gel. Starting in 1988 according to industry

consultant A. Brook (2006), breast implants

were made with thicker shells and more cohesive gel.

In addition the chemical nature of the shells were

modified to reduce migration of silicone oil to the

outer surface of the shell. At the 2005 FDA advisory

meeting, breast implant manufacturers admitted their

third generation implants leaked platinum but claimed

it was in a harmless form. Lykissa and Maharaj (2006)

research included second generation and one third

generation silicone implant (which leaked ionized

platinum up to +6). The shells of most saline

implants are catalyzed by tin esters, Brook reports.

The two saline implants included in Lykissa and

Maharaj (2006) did not release any platinum.

The fourth generation implants are called the " gummy

bear " implants. The catalyst used in " gummy bear "

silicone implants is considered proprietary (secret)

information but is thought to be platinum.

CANDO has received a small grant and has limited

funding to offer free testing for breast implanted

women with 1988 or later implants (which includes both

third and fourth generation) and their children if

they have any born after implantation. If you

have/had first or second generation (before 1988 )

silicone implants and can afford the platinum urine

testing ($150), we would like to include you in our

expanded platinum urine testing project. If you would

like to become part of this important research project

please contact:

Keeling, President

P. O. Box 682633

Houston, Tx. 77268-2633

281/444-0662

keeling.m@...

Lykissa, ED, Maharaj, SVM. Total Platinum

Concentration and Platinum Oxidation States in Body

Fluids, Tissue, and Explants from Women Exposed to

Silicone and Saline Breast Implants by IC-ICP-MS.

Analytical Chemistry (published on-line April 1, 2006)

, CS, Prihoda, TJ. A controlled comparison of

symptoms and chemical intolerances by Gulf War

veterans, implant recipients and persons with multiple

chemical sensitivity. Toxicology and Industrial

Health (1999) 15, 386-397