Closed petition Extend the time people with implants can claim against manufacturers

Closed on 2 April 2021

The time limitations for bringing a claim against a manufacturer of mesh, essure sterilisation and breast implants should be removed. It can take years for patients to develop symptoms and for clinicians and regulators to become aware of a problem. This means many miss the deadline to claim.

To make a claim against the manufacturer under the Consumer Protection Act you have to be within 3 years of knowing or that there was a problem with the medical device. Although this limit can be extended at the discretion of the court, there's a maximum of 10 years from when a particular device was manufactured.

Some don't find out their problems are attributable to the device until many years down the line, after being investigated for other medical conditions that they simply do not have. Ladies have lost families, homes and jobs, all destroyed by a device they had been led to believe to be safe.

How can the law for implants be the same for devices like your kettle? The time limit for bringing a claim against the manufacturer of implanted medical devices should be removed.