This month the Australian Government issued a national apology for decades of ‘agony and pain’ suffered by women who had received vaginal mesh to treat complications following child birth.
Health Minister, Greg Hunt, apologised to the roughly 150,000 women who had mesh inserted in the last two decades in Australia, following the findings of an independent inquiry in March 2018.
Mr Hunt acknowledged that the insertion of the mesh had led to ‘horrific outcomes’ for some of the women affected, 700 of whom are currently pursuing a ‘class-action’ against manufacturer of the mesh, Johnson and Johnson.
In the UK, an apology has yet to be issued to women suffering from these complications despite the fact that the use of vaginal mesh was banned in the treatment of vaginal prolapses and stress urinary incontinence (often referred to as SUI) in December 2017 and July 2018 respectively.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has since performed a U-turn when it recommended using mesh/tape ‘only as a last resort when non-surgical options have failed or are not possible’ in October 2018.
The guidance comes despite the protest of Baroness Julia Cumberlege, Chairperson of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, who is currently leading a review into the use of surgical mesh on women in the UK.
Contact us
If you or a loved one has experienced health problems as a result of surgery and use of surgical mesh, trans-vaginal tape, vaginal mesh or a vaginal sling and would like to see if you have a compensation claim please contact our Defective Product lawyers and Clinical and Medical Negligence solicitors on Freephone: 0808 164 0808 for a FREE, no-obligation chat or complete the request a call back form and we will call you.
