Breast implant scandal: PIP founder arrested The investigation into the health implications over PIP plants was launched in December. Police are said to be looking at charges of homicide and involuntary harm. In France, 20 women who had the implants have been diagnosed with cancer, 16 of whom had breast cancer, although no direct link has been established. Some 2,700 women have filed complaints against Mas. Health authorities in France, Germany and the Czech Republic have advised women to have the implants removed but the UK Government has said there is no need. There has been a public outcry among patients after a number of private health care firms have failed to offer free surgery to remove or replace the implants. Mas, 72, has admitted that some of his company's implants contained industrial-grade silicone but there is no evidence it is more harmful than regulated medical material. Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a Global Alert and Response, urging women with the implants to seek medical advice if they had any concerns. The WHO said data about implications from the implants was sketchy and hoped to get a clearer picture as more cases were reported. "While the rupture rate of PIP prostheses was observed to be higher than expected in France, rates reported by other national authorities vary," it said.