Evidence of meeting #68 for Health in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
If a loved one told you they wanted breast implants, how would you respond? Answer yes or no, please.
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
Run for your life in 2023.
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
You're putting your life at risk.
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Failure and Illness Society Canada
I absolutely agree with Terri. Run for your life.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
One of you said that a registry is only a partial solution. Do you believe that there will be a risk-free implant at all?
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
No, I think that's asking for a perfect world, and I don't think there will ever be a risk-free implant. What we're asking for is the transparency on the other flip side of that equation. We just want balanced information. I want to be an informed consumer and not the fooled Canadian that I felt like.
Conservative
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
May I speak in French?
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
In schools of dentistry, future dentists learn that teeth that are screwed in, dental implants, carry a risk of lymphoma.
Conservative
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Failure and Illness Society Canada
Sorry; can you repeat the question?
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
The registry is only a part of a solution. Do you think we can eventually have risk-free implants?
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Failure and Illness Society Canada
I don't see that happening. I think anything implanted into the body is at risk for complications, but certainly, if they're going to be on the market, track them.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Okay. Here's my final question. Health Canada's roles are supposed to be information, responsibility and liability. Health Canada needs to provide information. We agree on that.
Now, on responsibility, if the information is there, who is going to be responsible for the decision on whether or not to continue with the implant? Is it the patient?
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
I'm sorry. I'm misunderstanding your question.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
The question is, if the information is provided on Health Canada's website, and let's say there's a registry—
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Failure and Illness Society Canada
Balanced information.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
If it's balanced information, and if the decision of the patient is to go for the implant, who's responsible for that decision?
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
Ultimately, it's the consumer.
Conservative
Patient Advocate, Breast Implant Safety Alliance
I'm not necessarily sure that my answer is going to....
Allergan and Mentor failed to provide long-term safety studies on breast implants. Their long-term safety studies were dropped after three and four years. How come breast implants are still on the market?
To me, that answers the question, because consumers right now in North America should not have to decide which breast implants.... Right now, with no long-term safety studies done, there should not be breast implants on the market to choose from.