ARGENTINA: Lawyer seeks to represent other Argentines affected by PIP health scare after filing her own case against the French state

Record ID: 446856

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Lawyer seeks to represent other Argentines affected by PIP health scare after filing her own case against the French state
  • Date: 19th January 2012
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF JUSTICE PALACE
  • Embargoed: 3rd February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina, Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVAXX7UKYWRVGIAXHWHANPA8NI2
  • Story Text: A Buenos Aires lawyer taking action against the French state for exporting faulty PIP breast implants said on Tuesday (January 17, 2012) that she wanted to open "every avenue" to help other Argentine women overcome the health scare.
    Virginia Luna and thousands of other Argentines have been fitted with PIP implants, which have provoked fears worldwide because they contain low-grade silicon with an abnormally high rupture rate.
    Unlike some Latin American governments, the Argentine government has not offered to pay for surgery to remove the implants. The French company that sold them has gone bankrupt, leaving victims with few options.
    Luna said that because courts are on summer recess in Argentina the process would take time.
    "Personally, I am considered as victim in the criminal case of deception in France. In regards to the women I am representing, the possibility of them taking action will be evaluated at the appropriate time. The truth is that today we are stuck in the legal procedure here in Argentina to determine responsibility. We are going to try to open every possible avenue of redress, so this problem can be solved as quickly as possible," said Luna.
    Luna said she is formally representing 350 Argentine women with PIP implants and she is in contact with around 2,500, who are all seeking advice.
    Online forums and Facebook groups have been inundated with women looking for assistance.
    Gabriela Gonzalez was among those attending a support group in Buenos Aires chaired by Luna.
    "As much as we want to minimize the issue, we feel as though we have a time bomb inside. Even though they tell us today, 'You are healthy, you are fine'. We don't know when that day could come when there's a click and ... [the implant could rupture]," said Gonzalez.
    Some 300,000 PIP implants were sold worldwide, tens of thousands of them in Latin America where demand for cosmetic procedures is high.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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