Fw: Toronto Star - RCMP steps up breast implant probe - November 27, 1998

[Guest guest]

This is old; however, I think that the RCMP should continue their

investigation. They work for the government and we think that our government

has stopped this investigation.

Love...Lea

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>>>>Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 11:07:47 -0700

>>>>Subject: Toronto Star - RCMP steps up breast implant probe - November

>>>>27,

>>>> 1998

>>>

>>>>By Eggertson - Ottawa Bureau

>>>>

>>>>OTTAWA - The RCMP has beefed up a criminal investigation into Health

>>>>Canada's regulation of breast implants and a possible cover-up, The Star

>>>>has

>>>>learned.

>>>>

>>>> " The investigation has been stepped up, " Corporal Marc Richer said

>>>>yesterday. " It is a serious investigation and it will be followed

>>>>through. "

>>>>

>>>>Acting on a complaint from a British Columbia woman, the RCMP assigned

>>>>one

>>>>investigator this spring to determine if Health Canada met its

>>>>responsibility to make sure silicone gel breast implants were safe

>>>>before

>>>>allowing them on the market.

>>>>

>>>>After interviewing former Health Canada employees who believe their

>>>>superiors in the department's health protection branch ignored warnings

>>>>for

>>>>years that the implants were dangerous, the Mounties determined there is

>>>>a

>>>>potential for criminal charges, Richer said.

>>>>

>>>>Government employees believed their bosses ignored warnings for years.

>>>>

>>>>The safety of the implants, which Ottawa finally banned in 1993, has

>>>>been

>>>>the subject of intense debate in the medical community and among the

>>>>estimated 150,000 women in Canada who had the devices inserted.

>>>>

>>>>In August, the RCMP added two officers and gave its investigative team

>>>>further clout by assigning an inspector to head up the investigation.

>>>>Earlier this month, the investigators surveyed their material and

>>>>determined there was enough substance to the allegations to continue to

>>>>investigate.

>>>>

>>>>As part of their efforts, officers travelled to British Columbia to

>>>>interview the woman who laid the original complaint. They also spoke to

>>>> , who asked for an RCMP investigation as far back as 1990,

>>>>only

>>>>to be turned down by then-RCMP commissioner Norman Inkster.

>>>>

>>>> wrote to Inkster complaining that the Quebec distributor of the

>>>>Meme breast implant, Real Laperriere was allowed to market the foam

>>>>covered

>>>>devices in Canada without proof that they were safe, as required by the

>>>>Food and Drugs Act.

>>>>

>>>>The investigation has also broadened beyond breast implants into the

>>>>health protection branch's regulation of other medical devices and into

>>>>the federal government's awarding of research grants, one source told

>>>>The

>>>>Star.

>>>>

>>>> " The investigation is now radiating horizontally into lobbies, it's

>>>>radiating into the professional groups, including some surgeons

>>>>connected

>>>>to government, " the source said. " There are a number of other angles. "

>>>>

>>>>Source: The Toronto Star, Friday, November 27, 1998

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>

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