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Worldwide recall issued for textured breast implants tied to rare cancer
By Jacqueline Howard, CNN
Updated 1634 GMT (0034 HKT) July 24, 2019
Cancer deaths linked to breast implants 01:04
(CNN)Allergan issued a worldwide recall of Biocell textured breast implants and tissue expanders that have been linked to a rare cancer. The move came after the US Food and Drug Administration requested the manufacturer voluntarily recall the products.
“Allergan is taking this action as a precaution following notification of recently updated global safety information concerning the uncommon incidence of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” according to a press announcement by Allergan.
Textured breast implants are less commonly used in the United States compared to other countries, according to the FDA. Specifically, macro-textured implants — the type of textured implant that Allergan manufactures — represent less than 5% of all breast implants sold in the United States.
“It’s our estimation that hundreds of thousands of women have these implants,” Dr. Binita Ashar, director of the office of surgical and infection control devices at the FDA, said during a press conference on Wednesday. She added that the FDA will get more information on those numbers in the coming weeks.