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CANADA

WE ASK FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY IN HEALTH CANADA

URGENT

" I FEEL THAT FOR A SCIENTIST TO REMAIN SILENT

IN THE FACE OF ALL, IS TANTAMOUNT TO CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE"

DR.CHARLES THOMAS, HARVARD BIOLOGIST

Government of Canada

Government of Québec

To all of you :

I am a victim of breast implant, Micheline B.Lambert, Lévis Québec city.

After the result of the RCMP enquiry we ask a public enquiry in breast implants litigations.

What these horrendous devices have done to our lives is immeasurable and unfathomable. If we are typical, then we are saddened that this disaster has been allowed to destroy the peace of mind, the economic livelihood, the domestic harmony, and the medical and psychological well-being of literally thousands and thousands of Canadians.

I am convinced that the greatest health problem in Canada is the silicone breast implant disaster; yet, this government has done nothing to help the thousands and thousands of sick women who have become the victims of corporate greed and medical complacency. Now is the time to correct this wrong. When the full extent of the breast implant tragedy is revealed it might be too late to save the ailing provincial healthcare systems. These women, with their silicone-related diseases, physical deformities and unceasing need of medical attention and prescriptions, will probably drain the healthcare systems completely. Our government must act immediately to prevent this happening by providing funds to Canadian researchers who are willing to put in the effort to find a cure for these women.

Throughout the 1990s, and despite your government's neglect, independent researchers have been making some progress in trying to find a cure for the women who are suffering from silicone poisoning. But now even those few conscientious individuals are being systematically silenced. Over the last half dozen years, researchers at numerous Canadian universities have been threatened, intimidated, coerced and, most effectively, denied research funding for silicone breast implant studies. The most recent victim is Dr. Robert Guidoin at Université Laval. We can only deduce from this pitiful situation that university administrations in Canada are terrified that they will lose the huge amounts of cash that are poured into university research annually by the manufacturers and pharmaceuticals, often the makers, now or historically, of silicone breast implants. What better way to reel in these maverick scientists than to threaten the institutions that pay their wages and provide the laboratories.

It is about time that the federal government realized that it has an obligation to Canadian women to publicize the dangers of all forms of breast implants. Our government must respond to this challenge before it is too late. It will be difficult, because the manufacturers of breast implants have already spent millions and millions of dollars on a well-orchestrated campaign of deception and misinformation. They have bought the studies that they need from North American universities to "prove" that their implants are safe, they have paid for public relations firms to spread their lies, they have silenced many of their most vocal critics with money and intimidation, they have confused and made unresponsive a medical community that is painfully reluctant to admit that it has a "brand-new" disease on its hands, and they have deceived what is becoming a disappointingly gullible Canadian media: "The real victim here is Dow Corning. Seriously." (William Thorsell, Editor-in-chief, Globe & Mail, December 5, 1998)!

What these manufacturers have done, and what they are still getting away with, is absolutely criminal. We hope that this investigation will continue until it has answers. And so it should, because it is now known that breast implants have an extremely high rupture rate (more than 70%!) and the silicone that they contain migrates to every organ in the body. Moreover, older scientific literature often presented silicone as inert. In more recent studies, however, it has been recognized as a chemically active and demonstrably toxic substance.

* Dr. Robert Guidoin's research program at Université Laval must be reinstated by providing him and his colleagues with sufficient federal funds to reactivate and indeed expand his research activities. The scientific integrity and academic independence of this individual and those like him must be fostered if the true nature of implants and their problems is to be discovered.

* All saline breast implants (a tragedy in the making for the next generation!) must be removed from the market immediately until they are proved to be safe.

* Federal research funds should be provided to provincial governments throughout Canada to enable them to start up research activities at that level.

* Universities should be provided with enough money to study breast implants without fear of retribution from manufacturers and pharmaceuticals with vested interests.

* Federal research funds should be provided to provincial colleges of physicians and surgeons to create educational programs that will instruct doctors in the dangers of silicone-related diseases.

* The new agency that you envision must be untainted by any industrial money and influence and must demonstrate publicly that it is not a rubber stamp for corporate interests.

We demand that these steps be carried out because your government is obligated to help Canadian women who have suffered so much at the hands of corporate entities that have put profit before any degree of responsibility and thereby brought about a medical disaster. The previous federal administration failed miserably; let's see if your government and you personally have the integrity to right the wrong.

Thank you in advance for your attention to these concerns.

Sincerely yours,

Micheline B. Lambert

Gouvernement Du Canada

Gouvernement Du Québec

À vous tous

DEMANDE D'UNE ENQUÊTE PUBLIQUE

À SANTÉ Canada

EN URGENCE

AU NOM DES VICTIMES DU MONDE ENTIER!

"J'AI LE SENTIMENT QUE POUR UN SCIENTIFIQUE,

SE TAIRE LORSQUE L'ON FAIT FACE À TANT DE DOUTE

RELÈVERAIT DE LA DE LA NÉGLIGENCE CRIMINELLE"

D' CHARLES THOMAS BIOLOGISTE DE HARVARD

Je me présente, Micheline B. Lambert, Présidente Fondatrice "Fondation Jacynthe Inc." Au nom des victimes d'implants mammaires, suite aux résultats de l'enquête de la GRC. concernant Santé Canada.

Je demande une enquête publique car Santé Canada savait et sait le danger de produits défectueux et blessants et pourtant permet encore la vente des implants défectueux et pour plusieurs mortels.

On a le scandale du sang contaminé et encore bien d'autres!!!!

Il faut arrêter le massacre, par une enquête publique à Santé Canada pour la protection de la collectivité. Les manufacturiers sont des irresponsables en continuant la vente et la promotion de tels instruments défectueux.

Il y a usage croissant d’instruments médicaux pour fin d’esthétique. Un nombre important de ces appareils est impliqué dans des accidents et des réactions défavorables La qualité de ces instruments est variable et constitue une partie du problème. L’usage de ces appareils est associé à des soins médicaux et des dépenses qui se superposent aux problèmes de défaillances et de blessures. Un contrôle sur ces instruments devient urgent. Étant donné la performance inadéquate des implants mammaires couramment en usage et le risque, que ces appareils présentent, on recommande le retrait de ces instruments. Cette politique est devenue urgente suite aux compressions budgétaires. La promotion, sans contrôle de services médicaux pour fin d’esthétique avec insertion d’implants permanents s’avère incompatible avec la responsabilité des gouvernements en ce qui a trait à la santé publique. L’utilisation de ces technologies pour fin d’esthétique multiplie les dépenses publiques suite aux réactions et aux défaillances d’instruments mal conçus et comportant des vices de fabrications. La consommation de ressources en soins de santé pour réparer les dommages créés par ces technologies dangereuses, est un luxe qui n’est plus justifiable dans un climat où les traitements essentiels et la santé communautaire semblent menacés par des coupures budgétaires.

L’usage de et la promotion de ces technologies qui ne sont pas à point sont des violations potentielles du Code de Nuremberg. Elles sont également une source importante de morbidité.

Tout citoyen a droit aux soins médicaux de base pour assurer sa santé. Les ressources limitées allouées pour ces fins ne doivent pas être consommées par des actes médicaux qui déclenchent des problèmes de santé qui devront être traités à grand frais à des dates ultérieures. La dissipation de ressources publiques essentielles et limitées est également une violation des droits humains dans une société où les soins médicaux sont une responsabilité communautaire et gouvernementale.

"Que penser des ventes de produits blessants !!!!!!"

"Que penser des soins non offerts aux victimes!!!!"

"Que penser des compagnies qui continuent à faire la promotion de tels instruments!!!"

"Que penser de Santé Canada qui accepte ces produits!!!"

Antonio Lambert

Canada