Posted: September 26th, 2019
One of the leading specialist on the use of vaginal mesh for medical treatment in the United Kingdom has revealed that he thinks this devices are unsafe for the treatment of incontinence.
Chartered chemist Dr Chris DeArmitt made the comments in a Sky News interview. He has previously been an expert witness during legal actions taken against vaginal mesh manufacturers and has helped over 9,000 women win their compensation actions.
Vaginal mesh devices are implemented in operations to address stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP); two conditions women can experience following natural childbirth or when they are older.
Meanwhile in Ireland Minister for Health Simon Harris has said that suspension of all surgical procedures involving these devices will continue. This situation will persist until the HSE implements 19 recommendations that were made by the Chief Medical Officer in Ireland, Dr Tony Holohan, during 2018.
Dr Holohan’s report found that that the devices termed transvaginal mesh implants (TVMIs), used for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse, should no longer be thought of as safe or acceptable for first line treatment. He found that these devices should, from now on, only now be used for dealing with complex cases, where other treatment options have not been successful or are not appropriate.
He said that there have been enough studies conducted to support the use of mesh as a mid-urethral sling for stress urinary incontinence or as an abdominally placed mesh for dealing with prolapse.
In 2017 a number of legal actions were initiated in Ireland. According to legal representatives for the women who submitted them, these actions came about after the airing of news reports in the UK detailing legal actions in that jurisdiction. Prior to this the women had been unaware of any possible link between their suffering and the vabingal mesh devices.
Earlier in in 2019 the US Food and Drug Administration made the sale and distribution of all mesh that was to be implemented in relation to pelvic organ prolapse illegal. This step was taken following the highlighting on many safety worries by the general public. Over 100,000 people are taking a legal action in the United States in relation to injuries and illnesses that, they allege, came about due to the use of vaginal mesh.
Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health said the FDA in the US said: “Patient safety is our highest priority, and women must have access to safe medical devices that provide relief from symptoms and better management of their medical conditions.”
Categories: Accident News
