Thank you, Christiane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The FDA authorized breast implants last week on November 17. Health Canada also made its announcement on a Friday. Newspaper reporters were no longer on Parliament Hill, so they could not react immediately to the news.
I have in my possession documents from Inamed, a subsidiary of Allergan in the United States. We are talking about Inamed here, and you approved a license for that company. In a document entitled Directions for use, Inamed Silicone-Filled Breast Implants, it clearly states that people who receive breast implants must undergo magnetic resonance imaging at least every two years. Otherwise, the risk of rupture and leakage is very high. It also mentions other health problems. It says that a high number of ruptures are thought to be responsible for serious problems. In the United States, the FDA recommends that women who have had breast implants undergo magnetic resonance imaging at least once every two years.
In addition, Dianne Feinstein, a U.S. Senator, is opposed to the reintroduction of breast implants. Her arguments against them are the same as the arguments we put forward before. Inamed Corporation and Mentor Medical Systems are still facing allegations made by scientists and very credible individuals. Among others, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said that the approval makes a mockery of the legal standard that requires reasonable assurance of safety for drugs and prostheses. He said that, in the case of implants, the risk of rupture and leakage of silicone gel in patients' bodies was high and that they therefore pose health risks.
I have also received emails. For example, a young woman from Manitoba who received breast implants now has to have them removed because they ruptured. But she cannot have the operation because in order to get it quickly, she would have to spend $5,000 out of pocket. Otherwise, the waiting period is two years. The ruptured implants are causing her serious health problems.
You are authorizing companies like Mentor and Inamed to use women in Quebec and Canada as guinea pigs, women who are in good health now but who may not be in the future because of the decision you made. I wonder if you thought about that when you made the decision. In the past, thousands of women have had serious crises because of breast implants. Now, because you made a hasty decision, thousands of women will risk going through that again.
We know that Health Canada receives $42 million a year to approve the devices. Did that factor play into your decision? Can you really be neutral under those circumstances? I would like a list of the people who participated in making that decision, Ms. Bell.