About 500 Australian women who had faulty PIP breast implants have joined thousands of other victims in an overseas class action in a last-ditch bid for compensation.
The silicone-gel implants were banned in April, 2010, after the French manufacturer was found to have been using cheaper, unapproved industrial-grade silicone. They are at least twice as likely as other brands to rupture.
The 500 women are part of a class action against Poly Implant Prothese involving 5127 mostly French and Colombian victims in criminal proceedings against PIP's former owner Jean-Claude Mas, who is facing at least four years' jail.
About 1300 Australian women of the estimated 5000 who have had the implants had signed up to a class action against the Adelaide-based distributor of the implants, Medical Vision Australia, but that collapsed in March after it was discovered the company did not have adequate product liability insurance and the case was unviable. Law firm Tindall Gask Bentley is claiming compensation for surgery costs and pain and suffering.
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''The whole PIP implants fiasco has been extremely traumatic for the Australian women who were innocently caught up in the scandal,'' TGB partner Tim White said. ''They spent thousands of dollars on a product that they were told and expected was of high quality, authorised and safe.''Many experienced physical issues such as pain, swelling, lymph node damage, illness and infection. Almost all women spoke of the psychological toll, which ranged from stress and anxiety to depression.''
Bronwyn Pereira, 47, of Mona Vale in NSW, and who is part of the overseas class action, had the PIP implants seven years ago to correct a congenital deformity, pectus excavatum (hollow chest), but one ruptured so badly she has suffered a litany of serious health problems.
''Obviously, I would like some form of compensation for what I've lost, being a business, my personal health. But most of all I want retribution,'' she said.
Medical Vision Australia is in liquidation but its owner Stan Racic has set up other companies and is still selling breast implants.
Liquidators Anthony Phillips and Andrew Heard have referred MVA to corporate watchdog the Australian Securities and Investments Commission for investigation.
''We have secured the key financial records of the company and our investigations to date have focused on the sale of the company's business assets to Medical Vision Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, a related entity, and other transactions entered into prior to our appointment,'' Mr Phillips said.
Mr Racic has not returned Fairfax Media's calls.
