Call for medical product register now

In the wake of the pelvic mesh scandal, lawyers are advocating for the establishment of a national register for medical products. They believe that this step is crucial in preventing similar health crises from occurring in the future. “Creating a central register and making it obligatory to enter details of products, such as pacemakers and artificial heart valves, would build an accurate picture of how safe they are,” said Pauline Roberts from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), who has presented the case to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Roberts underscored the urgent need for change, stating, “We must never allow faulty products like pelvic mesh, which left thousands of women with permanent health issues and in terrible pain, to happen again.” The pelvic mesh implants were historically used to treat conditions like incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, but reports surfaced about severe complications arising from these devices. The mesh can erode and harden, leading to significant pain and urinary problems for many women.

“Keeping details on any faults in a central system would flag up any safety issues with a particular product, saving patients from avoidable harm,” added Roberts, who has represented numerous victims. She highlighted that any safety concerns or negative outcomes from medical devices should be recorded on an accessible public register. This would create a comprehensive overview of the products in use and allow for improved safety measures. Furthermore, she emphasised the importance of international collaboration on this issue, advocating that, “Information must be shared between countries too so if a particular product is defective, it’s highlighted so patients in the UK are not put at risk.”

Roberts insists that both patients and medical professionals deserve access to complete information about medical products, facilitating informed treatment decisions that ultimately affect health and quality of life. “Currently any registers are ad hoc, and usually only created following a catastrophe, as was the case after the pelvic mesh scandal,” she said.

APIL maintains that the regulatory framework governing medical products in the UK needs to be strengthened, advocating for more stringent and frequent inspections of new products before they reach the market. “It’s important not to stifle innovation in medicine but patients should not be treated as guinea pigs. Patient safety must never be an afterthought,” Roberts concluded, reiterating the need for tangible reforms to protect the health and wellbeing of patients across the nation.