A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said today (December 23) the department noted the recommendation by the French Ministry of Health regarding the management of patients implanted with silicone gel breast implants manufactured by the French company, Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).
The French Ministry of Health announced today its recommendation for patients to remove their PIP silicone gel breast implants as a preventive measure.
The decision was made after an expert meeting, which found that women with PIP implants did not have a higher risk of cancer than women with implants made by other companies, but that there were well-established risks of ruptures.
"Since the issue came to our attention, DH has been contacting the French medical device regulatory authority, Agence Francaise de Securite Sanitaire des Produits de Sante (AFSSAPS) to obtain information, and sought their assistance to ascertain the distribution of the affected products in Hong Kong."the spokesman said.
"According to AFSSAPS, the French manufacturer of the products has closed down in 2010. Official data on the distribution and usage of the products in Hong Kong are not available," he explained.
"However, based on the information at hand, the product is not popular in Hong Kong," he said.
DH noted that while individual health authorities may recommend the removal of PIP implants as a precautionary measure, other health authorities have not recommended their removal.
The spokesman reiterated that members of the public who have received breast implants, particularly those implanted with the affected products, should consult their implanting surgeons or surgeons experienced in this field if they have any concerns or doubt.
So far, the department has not received any adverse events in relation to the PIP breast implants.
"The department will continue to closely monitor the situation," the spokesman added.
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