Making a difference in the breast implant issue.

Abstract

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) investigation into the safety of silicone gel-filled breast implants has dominated newspaper, television, and magazine headlines across the country in recent months. ASPRSN member Lynne McCain along with several patients and physicians from the Atlanta, GA area recently had an opportunity to educate lawmakers and staff on the issue of breast implants while on Capitol Hill in October. They later returned to testify before an FDA panel investigating the issue and played a key role in the panel's November decision to recommend keeping the implants on the market until further research was available on the safety of the implants. The following article details the group's efforts with lawmakers in October and before FDA panel members in November, and demonstrates that nurses and patients can make a difference!