[MeFi]  In March 2010, a pair of health inspectors responding to multiple tips paid a three-day visit to the factory headquarters of the Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) company, a leading international maker of breast implants. On their second day, the inspectors found something odd: six discarded plastic containers of Silopren, a liquid silicone designed for industrial, not medical use, lined up along the outside wall of the production site. The lead inspector estimated they had contained nearly 9 tons of liquid silicone. It now appears as if between 300,000 and 400,000 women throughout the world may have received potentially toxic, faulty breast implants containing ingredients never clinically tested on humans, manufactured and distributed by a company that knowingly deceived regulators, suppliers, distributors, medical professionals and ultimately, patients. Reuters photographer’s Blog: Operating on an implant scandal. (Last link NSFW, graphic images that contain nudity.)

PIP also sold chest and testicle implants for men which used the same non-medical, industrial grade silicone.

Coverage from CNN, The Guardian.

On February 7, 2012, BBC’s Newsnight program featured a Q&A between 25 women who had been implanted with PIP breast implants and Anne Milton, a health minister for the UK coalition government. Evidence had apparently been available that PIP implants were likely defective for several years, yet the NHS had chosen not to inform patients of potential warnings. Milton stated, “The evidence to date is that they [PIP implants] are not [dangerous].” Response editorial by Naomi Wolf. There have been multiple demonstrations in London.

Wikipedia’s page on the company has a decent breakdown of the continuing aftermath of the scandal.