Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry Update

BAPRAS welcome the news that the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry (BCIR) has moved to an opt-out system for inclusion in the registry.

While patient consent has not been required since January 2019, the online registry has continued to include a consent field for any historical cases. The consent field will be removed at the end of June and surgeons are being asked to submit all historical consented cases before then.

Patients having surgery prior to 14 January 2019, who have not previously consented, can only be submitted to the registry if they request to be added. A completed consent form will not be required.

About the BCIR

The BCIR was launched in October 2016 in response to safety concerns following the high rupture rate of Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) and the inability to trace women who might be affected.

The English registry is one of only three comprehensive databases in Europe, behind just the Netherlands and Sweden.

The registry is a vital patient safety initiative which enables the collection of long-term safety data and ensures the patient recipients of specific makes of implants can be traced, if needed.  The accurate recording of this data is even more important, given the identified link between some breast implants and a rare form of cancer called Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). The removal of the requirement for patient consent means that the registry can capture the most comprehensive data on women receiving implants in England.