§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical trials he(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on silicone gel-filled breast implants, prior to their being made available on the national health service. [13080]
§ Mr. HoramNo clinical trials on silicone gel-filled breast implants were commissioned or evaluated by the Department of Health prior to their being made available to the national health service.
§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many British women have received breast implants filled with silicone gel(a) in private practices and (b) on the national health service; [13075]
166WHealth how many (a) career grade doctors in hospital service and (b) general practitioner principals there were in each year since 1988. [13215]
§ Mr. MaloneThe information requested is provided in the following tables:
(2) how many breast implants filled with silicone gel have been implanted since their introduction to Britain (a) in private practices and (b) on the national health service. [13074]
§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department made of the decision by the United States Food and Drug Administration in April 1992 to restrict the use of breast implants filled with silicone gel. [13073]
§ Mr. HoramThe Department of Health made no assessment of the decision by the United States Food and Drug Administration, but independently set up an expert advisory group in 1992 to examine all evidence relating to breast implants and connective tissue disease. The group concluded that, on the basis of all data available at that time, there was no evidence of an increased incidence of connective tissue disease associated with silicone gel breast implants. It therefore saw no reason to alter current practice or policy in the UK, and endorses these conclusions following an updated review of all data available in 1994.