FRANCE has launched one of its biggest-ever trials as five managers from company PIP faced charges of selling faulty breast implants that sparked a global health scare.
More than 5000 women registered as plaintiffs in the case, which sees the defendants, including PIP founder Jean-Claude Mas, charged with aggravated fraud for using industrial-grade silicone in implants.
An estimated 300,000 women in 65 countries are believed to have received the implants, which some health authorities say are twice as likely to rupture as other brands.
Up to 400 of the plaintiffs were on hand on Wednesday for the start of the trial, which has been moved to a congress centre in the southern city of Marseille to accommodate the hundreds of plaintiffs and lawyers attending.
The defendants face up to five years in prison and the trial is set to last until May 17.
Taking to the stand to declare his name and profession at the start of the trial, Mas was booed by the crowd, who hissed and shouted again when a defence lawyer stated that the accused had been "ruined" by the scandal.
Mas, who has always insisted there was no health risk from the implants, made no comment to journalists gathered outside the courtroom, but his lawyer Yves Haddad said he would expound on his actions in court.
News of the faulty implants in 2011 sparked fears worldwide, but health officials in various countries have said they are not toxic and do not increase the risk of breast cancer.
More than 4000 women have reported ruptures, and in France alone 15,000 have had the PIP implants replaced.
The others on trial with Mas are PIP's former general manager, Claude Couty, quality control director Hannelore Font, technical director Loic Gossart and product director Thierry Brinon.
Some of the defendants, including Mas, have also been charged in separate and ongoing manslaughter and financial fraud investigations into the scandal.
The manslaughter probe is related to the 2010 death from cancer of a woman who was fitted with the implants.
The hearings were adjourned until Thursday morning, with the court expected to continuing hearing procedural motions until at least Friday.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
French executives in breast implant trial
Dengan url
http://soloberitaku.blogspot.com/2013/04/french-executives-in-breast-implant.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
French executives in breast implant trial
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
French executives in breast implant trial
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar