BREAST IMPLANTS: SCIENCE VS. EMOTION
April 25, 2005 10:32

The debate over silicone breast implants is a ball
of confusion at the moment, following two
diametrically opposed votes in two days by the same
Food & Drug Administration advisory panel. On April
12, in a narrow 5-4 vote, the panel recommended that
the FDA continue its 13-year-old ban on silicone
implants made by Inamed (IMDC) because of safety
concerns. The very next day, the panel voted 7-2 to
lift the ban on almost identical implants made by
Mentor. The FDA now has 90 days to decide what to do,
and it's certain to get blasted by patients, doctors
and various advocacy groups who feel passionately
both in favor of and against silicone. Given that
emotions have trumped science for years when it comes
to these devices, such lobbying could have a
tremendous influence on the FDA's ultimate decision.
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Business Week, 04/25/2005
For complete story, see http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_17/b3930115_mz020.htm
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