Washington — A 10-month Senate investigation has determined that allegations of improprieties regarding the federal government's conditional approval of silicone gel breast implants were largely unsubstantiated. The seven-page summary of the investigation conducted by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee did uncover some concerns, but no irregularities that suggested that the 2005 decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should be reversed, the Associated Press reports. The investigation was prompted by a number of women's groups and other organizations that had alleged conflicts of interest, incomplete or biased scientific data, and the exertion of undue influence on the FDA commissioner. The finding clears the way for the FDA to approve the use of silicone gel implants, which have been banned in the United States since 1992 due to safety concerns. The full report was not released. |
