650 French patients fitted with unauthorised replacement hips

French surgeons have fitted 650 people with replacement hips that had not yet been certified as meeting European standards, health officials said on the 2 May 2013. The case resembles last year's scandal over faulty breast implants, which triggered a revision of the EU's legislation on medical devices.

Though health officials said there was no reason to believe that the uncertified prosthetics posed any health risk, according to the French news agency AFP, the surgeons involved have been asked to carry out checks on the patients concerned.

ESO: Background Information: EU hesitates to follow US approach on medical devices http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-hesitates-to-follow-us-approach-on-medical-devices/

ESO: Background Information: Victims of breast implants seek compensation in France http://www.europeansources.info/record/victims-of-breast-implants-seek-compensation-in-france/

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