In 2013 an estimated 346,000 women in France had breast implants. Some 30,000 of these are thought to have received an implant produced by the company PIP (some of which have since been removed). Beyond determining that these breast implants are defective, it appears that the only way to document their potential adverse effects is to conduct a large-scale epidemiological study. At the request of the Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des produits de santé (ANSM) [French National Agency of Medicine and Health Products Safety], a group of researchers managed by Florent de Vathaire in Inserm Unit 1018 “Centre for epidemiology and population health research” is launching a study entitled LUCIE. The aim of this 10-year study is to monitor some 100,000 women who have or have had breast implants of any brand. The results will enable conclusions to be drawn with regard to the potential medium and long-term adverse events in women with PIP implants.

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