Probe to examine possible conflicts of interests in troubled implant inquiry

NHS Lothian consultant Voula Granitsiotis took part in mesh trials while Ayrshire and Arran’s Wael Agur had links to Boston Scientific, Ethicon and CR Bard.

Professor Cathryn Glazener, researcher to the inquiry, was also involved in a number of multimillion-pound trials funded by an NHS research body.

Patient representative Isobel Montgomery was involved in two mesh trials.

Urogynaecologist Ash Monga, who sat on the review to represent professional bodies, was involved in a mesh research project which did not go ahead. He said: “All the mesh problems started to appear so they abandoned it.”

He added he had complied with all the committee’s requirements on declaring interests.

Mr Agur, who resigned from the review before publication of the report, added: “All my competing interests were declared to the Scottish Government.”

Mr Hilton stressed his independence, saying that he had received research funding from two companies between 1998 and 2003, but had no contact with any such firm since 2003.

Miss Granitsiotis declined to comment but a spokesman for NHS Lothian said: “All working group members were requested to declare relevant interests and to state whether they were personal or non-personal interests.”

Prof Glazener and Dr Guerrero both declined to comment.

Mrs Mo n t g o m e r y, from Aberdeen, said the trials she had been involved with were “completely unbiased.” She added: “I am an ordinary member of the public, with no industrial or business interests, and have taken on this work on a purely altruistic basis with the aim of improving the treatment of women in the future.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “The patients have the opportunity to fully discuss the risks and benefits of treatment options with their consultant before they are listed for surgery.”

Boston Scientific said: “Boston Scientific takes seriously its obligation to help train physicians on the proper use of our products.

“Any monetary or in- kind contributions offered by Boston Scientific for these educational sessions follow our strict internal guidelines and external legal requirements.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “All members of the review were asked to complete a declaration of interests form at the time the group was set up and the lists for remaining members of the group were updated in 2016 and again prior to publication to add interests not previous declared.”

Review chair Tracey Gillies told MSPs that leading the review had been “almost mission impossible from the beginning.”