Victim reveals desperate fight for help to beat life-threatening lipoedema
MSP: Mesh makers must act morally and pay out
Manufacturers of surgical mesh implants which have caused crippling side effects to patients across Scotland, are being called on to compensate victims and pay millions of pounds worth of treatment costs to the NHS. MSP Neil Findlay has written directly to one of Scotland’s biggest suppliers, Johnson & Johnson, pointing out that as the firm are offering pay-outs to victims given defective hip implants but not to those scarred by mesh operations. He hopes other firms will also pay out.
He said: “Mesh payments in the US for various manufacturers are now reaching £10 billion, so instead of dragging women who are already ill and struggling with devastating injuries through the costly and combative court system here in the UK, I’m asking them to do the moral thing.
“It would ensure injured women were not forced to endure further stress and anxiety in what has become the biggest medical scandal of modern times.”
Victims like Elaine Holmes, 50, from Newton Mearns, were left crippled following a mesh op. Mr Findlay’s comments come in the same week the government finally conceded patients suffered “debilitating consequences” over poor regulation of medical devices such as mesh, hip implants, heart valves and breast implants. UK Health and Social Care Minister Jackie Doyle-price admitted last week commercial interests had been prioritised over patient safety, and doctors had failed to warn about risks. Johnson & Johnson did not respond, but said in the past: “Surgery with mesh is backed by years of clinical research, has undergone rigorous regulatory reviews and has been the preferred option for millions of women seeking to improve their quality of life.” Everything changed two years ago when Donna met a specialist who worked for a lipoedema charity. She said: “The woman sat me down and asked all about my life and my gran and mum. She suspected we all had lipoedema. She told me mum probably progressed from lipoedema to lymphodema, to cellulitis then sepsis. Mum died without getting a diagnosis.” A London specialist confirmed Donna had lipoedema. She said: “There was only one surgeon in the UK offering patients surgery and he was back home in Scotland. My husband refused to move, so I left everything behind in Croydon, and came to Scotland.”
Donna found a GP in Aberdeen willing to research lipoedema, and for the last year has been waiting to hear from NHS Grampian on funding her consultation with Dr Alex Munnoch at Ninewells, Dundee. Last month, Grampian said it would not fund her treatment. NHS Grampian said the health board has now asked for more information about treatment in NHS Tayside. It said: “We understand this will be frustrating for Ms Adams and we are keen to give her a definite decision as soon as practical.” But Donna said: “I’ve waited almost a year for this pathetic response and all the while I’m in constant pain, unable to work and my condition is getting worse. If I’m made to wait much longer I fear I will end up like my poor mother did.”
Labour’s shadow health secretary Monica Lennon said: “Lipoedema can take so much from women and it’s a health scandal that the medical profession has learned so little about it. I’ve made a personal plea to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman to work with me to make sure lipoedema women begin to get the level of care they need and deserve.”
– Lipoedema sufferer Donna Adams