Skip to Main Content
Wexler Boley & Elgersma LLP
  • Our Firm
    • Who We Serve
      • Shareholders
      • Whistleblowers
      • Consumers
      • Businesses
      • Government Entities
    • Our Professionals
    • Working with Wexler Boley & Elgersma LLP
    • Locations
    • News
    • Careers
    • Report Your Concern
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Antitrust Litigation
    • Business & Commercial Litigation
    • Securities & Corporate Governance
    • Healthcare Litigation
    • Consumer Protection
    • Whistle Blower False Claims Litigation
    • Government Representation
    • Employment Litigation
  • Cases
    • Antitrust Litigation Cases
    • Business & Commercial Litigation Cases
    • Consumer Protection Cases
    • Employment Litigation Cases
    • Government Representation Cases
    • Healthcare Litigation Cases
    • Mass Tort Litigation Cases
    • Securities & Corporate Governance Cases
    • Whistle Blower False Claims Cases
  • Investigations
    • Similac Toxic Infant Formula Lawsuit
    • Kid’s Castle Biometric Privacy Lawsuit
    • Contaminated Baby Food Lawsuit
    • Fatal Sportmix Pet Food Recall Class Action Lawsuit
    • Claire’s Data Breach Lawsuit
    • Insurance Denial for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment
    • Perpetual Sales Litigation
    • Railroad Price-Fixing Lawsuit
    • Medicare Advantage Fraud Litigation
    • Biometric Fingerprinting Litigation
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
See all blog posts
5.9.2018

British Govt. Acknowledges ‘Unacceptable’ Risks of Vaginal Mesh

By Brian Lynch
Uncategorized, You Should Know, For Consumers

parliamentary debate argues that women were needlessly exposed to the risks of vaginal mesh

Vaginal mesh is a torturous medical device that has caused irreparable harm to countless women. We’ve witnessed the damage it has inflicted, and fight to give the victims a voice. That’s why it was so vindicating to hear government officials voice many of our concerns on the risks of vaginal mesh, even if that government is on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

On April 19th, British Parliament met for a debate on the use of medical implants and, for the first time, acknowledged that vaginal mesh exposed women to traumatic and unacceptable risks.

Led by Labour MP Emma Hardy, the debate focused heavily on the risks of vaginal mesh. Hardy opened the debate with a heartfelt story from one of her constituents who was advised to have the mesh operation. Hardy’s account of the woman’s debilitating pain and diminished quality of life was all too familiar for many of the anti-mesh advocates in attendance.

MPs in attendance heard the accounts of numerous women who were left as shadows of their former selves, some of whom were driven to suicidal thoughts due to mesh embedded in their tissue “like barbed wire.” Labor MP Sharon Hodgson shared a heartbreaking story of the suffering her 70-year-old mother has lived with since having mesh surgery five years ago. Several other MPs went on to voice their concerns with the device.

“These products… should only be used as an extreme measure,” said Department of Health Junior Minister Jackie Doyle-Price. “We should be very concerned by the extent to which these were adopted.”

Doyle-Price also called the debilitating injuries women received after putting their trust in the medical establishment “a tragedy.”

Hardy used the debate as a platform to bring attention to the issue, and to urge the government to act. She called for a full suspension of surgical mesh and asked the government to launch a full public inquiry. Hardy added that doctors and patients have been “voting with their feet” on mesh, calling attention to the rapid decline in the procedure. Hardy was referencing a National Health Services report showing the number of women undergoing the procedure has fallen by 48% since 2009.

Ultimately, it was agreed that there is a need for further action, signaling that change may be on the horizon. At a similar debate held last year, calls to suspend the use of surgical mesh were rejected.

Hardy concluded the debate by thanking the women in attendance who have championed this issue, and called attention to the risks of vaginal mesh.

“I end by thanking again all the fantastic women up there in the Gallery right now watching this debate. We are only talking about this now because of your bravery in coming forward and speaking out, and I thank each and every single one of you. We cannot undo the suffering you have experienced, but by speaking out and being so incredibly brave, you will stop women in the future going through what you have gone through. I and every Member who has spoken today thank you.”

Cheers to that.

Share

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Receive News Updates

Get the latest from Wexler Wallace LLP & stay informed.

Categories

  • Media Appearances
  • Uncategorized
  • Columns
    • Guest Post
    • Ken Wexler
    • Ed Wallace
  • Practice Areas
    • Consumer Protection
    • Mass Tort Litigation
    • Business & Commercial Litigation
    • Healthcare Litigation
    • Employment Litigation
  • Cases
  • Hall Of Shame
    • Villain Of The Week
  • In The News
    • Public Victories
  • Featured Investigations
  • The Firm
    • News releases
    • Around The World
    • Our Professionals
    • Chicago
  • You Should Know
    • For Investors
    • For Businesses
    • For Consumers
  • Featured Cases
  • awards
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Image

311 S. Wacker Drive,
Suite 5450
Chicago, IL 60606
P_312.346.2222
F_312.346.0022

  • Our Firm
  • Practice Areas
  • Cases
  • Investigations
  • Newsroom
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Statement
  • Legal Disclaimer

2022 © Wexler Boley & Elgersma LLP