Thousands of women in the United States have filed lawsuits for transvaginal mesh side effects. In fact, transvaginal mesh side effects led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue multiple warnings about mesh implant dangers. However, the complications are so widespread that safety officials in other countries are also warning about transvaginal mesh risks.
National Register Proposed in Scotland for Transvaginal Mesh Side Effects
Alex Neil, Scotland’s health secretary, recently announced he believes the country needs to create stricter regulations for transvaginal mesh procedures. This action is due to serious side effects women are experiencing, the Daily Record reported. Neil is also pushing for a single national register where all transvaginal mesh adverse incidents are recorded.
Neil said the “scale and the nature” of mesh problems has gotten larger in Scotland. He also said the country’s chief medical officer has written letters to all health boards “to ensure that if any woman comes forward for this procedure or is referred for this procedure, that they are made absolutely, totally aware of the risks involved,” the Daily Record reported.
Neil wants the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of Scotland to strengthen mesh implant regulations. And not only those surrounding implant procedures, but regulations for device sales as well.
“We are encouraging the MHRA to take a very robust approach to this whole area because, very clearly, there has a been a lot of disquiet and there have been a lot of very unsuccessful procedures which have had a long-term impact on the women affected,” he said. “We are working also with the women at every stage of what we are doing, to try to fulfill their request in terms of the national register and ensure a more robust approach in terms of inspection, regulation.”
Transvaginal Mesh Side Effects Spur FDA Action in the United States
The FDA first warned consumers of transvaginal mesh risks in 2008 after it received numerous reports from women who had suffered complications from the implants. Three years later, in July 2011, the federal agency updated its warning. Thousands of women came forward to report their mesh implant side effects, and the FDA declared complications from the device were “not rare.”
Common complications include mesh erosion through the vagina, pain, infection, organ perforation, urinary problems and bleeding, the FDA said. Many of these complications forced women to have one or more surgical procedures in an attempt to correct the damage. In some cases, surgery was unable to prevent permanent damage. If you or a loved one suffered TVM complications, fill out your free claim review today. An experienced attorney in your area will contact you to discuss your case.