25 Jul 2012, 12:06
The Joint Committee on Health and Children has strongly criticised the Harley Medical Group for refusing an invitation to attend a meeting of the Committee to discuss the PIP Breast Implant scandal, which involved breast augmentation on Irish women using non-medical grade silicone.
The Harley Medical Group, a UK based group with a clinic in Herbert Place Dublin, carried out 1,159 such procedures on Irish women.
The Group have not complied with requests by the Minister of Health and the Chief Medical Officer to ensure that all their Irish patients who wish to have these implants removed, have the procedure carried out at no additional cost.
The only other two medical clinics who carried out similar procedures in Ireland have co-operated with the Minister’s requests.
Speaking at today's meeting, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Jerry Buttimer TD, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the Harley Medical Group have refused the invitation to attend our Committee. While we received a less than satisfactory statement from the Group, we wanted to explore with them the reasons for their refusal to replace these sub-standard implants in all their Irish patients at no charge.
\"It shows a blatant disregard to the duty of care the Group has for its patients and quite frankly it’s not good enough.
\"While we welcome the very generous commitment by the Minister for Health and the Chief Medical Officer that removal procedures will now be carried out by the State, we would urge the Minister to pursue the Harley Medical Group, nationally, internationally or through the courts if necessary, to recoup the full costs associated with the procedures.
\"We are also urging the Minister to seek clarification from the company responsible for granting the quality mark to the product, as to their procedures and liability cover in respect of quality assurance.
\"It is completely unsatisfactory that private operators can come into this country, perform procedures and then abdicate their responsibilities when it suits them.
\"We are calling on the Minister to bring forward legislation which will fully regulate the cosmetic surgery industry so we can ensure the health of Irish patients is sacrosanct over profit.\"
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
ENDS
Committee Membership:
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Derek Keating, Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fáil
Eamonn Maloney, Labour Party
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fail
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Denis Naughten, Independent
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein
Senators
Colm Burke, Fine Gael
John Crown, Independent
David Cullinane, Sinn Féin
John Gilroy, Labour Party
Imelda Henry, Fine Gael
Marc Mac Sharry, Fine Fail
Jillian Van Turnhout, Independent