Founder of French breast implant company in health scare arrested

French police arrest Jean-Claude Mas, the founder of the PIP breast implant company that sparked a global health scare by using substandard silicone.

PARIS // French police yesterday arrested Jean-Claude Mas, the founder of the PIP breast implant company that sparked a global health scare by using substandard silicone.

"Jean-Claude Mas was arrested at 7am and taken into custody" on the orders of an investigating judge, the Marseille prosecutor, Jacques Dallest, said.

He said the arrest was made in connection with a manslaughter investigation opened by prosecutors in Marseille in December and that Mr Mas could be held in custody for up to 48 hours.

A police source said Mr Mas was arrested at the home of his companion in the south of France.

Mr Dallest said police were carrying out a search of his companion's home, in the town of Six Fours, for evidence in the case.

Prosecutors said police had also arrested Claude Couty, another former executive at the now-defunct Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), in southern France.

Mr Mas's lawyer, Yves Haddad, said of his 72-year-old client: "He is not well. He is tired and he is waiting for his doctor."

PIP was shut down and its products banned in 2010 after it was revealed to have been using industrial-grade silicone gel that caused abnormally high rupture rates.

Fears over its implants spread globally late last year after French health authorities advised 30,000 women to have their PIP implants removed because of the increased risk of rupture.

Between 400,000 and 500,000 women around the world are believed to have received PIP implants. An unknown proportion are made with substandard gel which the firm, once the world's third-largest silicone implant producer, used to cut its costs.

Germany and the Czech Republic have followed France in recommending that the implants be removed as a precaution but Britain has said it will not follow suit.

French officials have also said that cancer, including 16 cases of breast cancer, had been detected in 20 French women with the implants, but have insisted there is no proven link with the disease.

In interviews, Mr Mas has confirmed the implants were made with a non-authorised silicon gel but rejected any suggestion that they pose a health risk.

Philippe Courtois, a lawyer representing women who received the PIP implants, said he was encouraged by Mr Mas's arrest but did not expect his story to change.

"Considering the outrageous statements he has made in regards to all the victims, we do not expect very much from this hearing."