Mrs Dalia V Nield FRCS(Ed)   FRCS(Eng)

CONSULTANT PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON

Formerly Consultant at
St Bartholemew´s and Homerton Hospitals

  5 Devonshire Place   London W1G 6HL   Telephone 020 7616 7693


PIP IMPLANTS

So far as I can tell from available records I only used PIP implants twice, once for a patient in 1998 and once for a patient in 2000.
If you have breast or other implants and you think they may have been supplied by PIP (not before 1991) you should contact your original surgeon to find out whether you have PIP implants.
I would expect your surgeon to recommend at least an examination and an ultrasound scan to check the condition of the implants.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is not recommending routine removal of PIP silicone gel breast implants in the UK - click here to see the MHRA press statement.
On 6 January 2012 the expert group appointed by the Health Secretary concluded that the advice given by the MHRA still stands and that there is not enough evidence to recommend routine explantation of these breast implants. The group also agrees there is no link with cancer- click here to see the Department of Health statement.

Libel and slander

It is no secret that last November I gave a newspaper my honest opinion about the effect of a cosmetic product and as a result received a letter from the manufacturers' solicitor, referring to libel or slander, I don't know which. As my solicitor had predicted it went away when I decided to stand up to them and he sent a firm reply. To see the debate which followed, and came up in Parliament twice, you could google my name, although it would take hours to read the results.
I would like to thank everyone who supported me so quickly and effectively and to mention -
  • Prasis, the plastic surgeons' professional insurers, and their adviser, Dr Sherry Williams MB BS, FFFLM, MFPHM, Barrister for helping me through the initial shock and referring me to a brilliant libel solicitor, and

  • my brilliant libel solicitor Robert Dougans of Bryan Cave.
For me it was a real fright. The costs of libel and slander cases are huge. For a while we thought we might have to sell our house, even if I won the case. I do not think I will ever comment on a commercial product again.
I think this is wrong. Doctors and other experts are trained at public expense and nearly all are dedicated to promoting public health. The public ought to have the benefit of their knowledge and advice on matters which affect the public. Also, we criticise journalists for just writing scare stories or rehashing commercial publicity, instead of doing real research. How can we expect them to produce proper reports if doctors and scientists are too scared to speak to them?
I have sent a contribution for the Libel Reform Campaign. You could also write to your MP asking him to support the Defamation Bill which the coalition have put before Parliament to reform the law.