Venezuelans threaten mass lawsuits for faulty breast implants
(Reuters) - Some 2,000 Venezuelan women are threatening to sue doctors, private clinics and distributors for faulty PIP breast implants if they do not get free replacements in one of the world's hottest markets for plastic surgery.
The image-conscious South American country was disproportionately hit by defective breast implants sold by French manufacturer Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) and filled with dangerous, industrial grade silicone.
Local consumer protection group ANAUCO says Venezuela - famed for beauty queens with six Miss Universe titles and six Miss World crowns - imported around 30,000 pairs of PIP implants over the past decade. PIP sold 300,000 implants worldwide.
ANAUCO plans to meet in the coming days with representatives of clinics, surgeons and the company which imported the implants to negotiate removal and replacement surgeries free of charge.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/18/uk-venezuela-implants-idUKBRE82H08M20120318
