New research from Tulane University (warning... warning... warning, as Robot in the 1960s television series Lost in Space would say) claims a new diagnostic test can link silicone breast implants with "atypical" immune system disorders. (Because existing science does not link breast implants with "typical" immune system disorders, breast implant plaintiffs now claim — what else — "atypical" immune system disorders. I wonder what's next if "atypical" doesn't work? "Double-secret"?)
Anyway, the researchers claimed discovery of a specific antibody in silicone breast implant (SBI) recipients with the type of symptoms claimed by SBI plaintiffs. And in testing 153 women, the researchers claim to have found the antibody in:
- 3% (1 of 34) of SBI recipients with "limited" symptoms;
- 8% (2 of 26) of SBI recipients with "mild" symptoms;
- 44% (7 of 16) of SBI recipients with "moderate" symptoms; and
- 68% (13 of 19) of SBI recipients with "advanced" symptoms.
In contrast, they claim only 17% (4 of 23) of the healthy non SBI-exposed controls tested positive for the antibody. The researchers then concluded:
Thus, women with moderate or advanced symptoms were significantly more likely than those with limited or mild symptoms... to [test positive for the antibody].
But beware of Tulane researchers bearing conclusions (link to "A Fungus among Us").
First, the presence of the antibody was not chemically linked with exposure to silicone. The researchers only infer a relationship based on the statistical correlations between the antibody and symptoms.
Second, even if the antibody were a biomarker for exposure to silicone, silicone breast implants are not the only or even the most common human exposure to silicone. As the researchers stated "silicone-containing devices, medications, cosmetics and food are widely used, and unwitting exposure to silicone can occur." Yet, no effort was made to rule out these other potential sources of silicone exposure as being responsible for the presence of the antibody.
Third, if the antibody was associated with symptom severity, wouldn't you expect the antibody to be found more frequently in the SBI recipients with "mild" and limited" symptoms than the controls without implants and symptoms? The researchers try to dismiss this issue by pointing to the small numbers in their study or the result of other "uncontrolled demographic factors." You could just as well dismiss the entire study for those reasons.
Fourth, there was no rhyme or reason to what constituted "limited," "mild," "moderate," or "advanced" symptoms. Subjective determinations were made instead. Shockingly, the researchers state that the correlation between testing positive for the antibody and symptom severity "confirms our clinical judgments objectively." Yeah...and I must be a great guy because I say so.
Fifth, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, this study does not link silicone breast implants with immune system disorders — whether of the "typical," "atypical" or "double-secret" type. It did not SPECIFICALLY investigate exposure to silicone breast implants and occurrence of immune system disorders. Only the occurrence of the antibody was investigated.
This latter point is important because some are already touting this study. According to the Fenton Communications press release titled Lancet Publishes New Study Linking Silicone Implants to Immune Problems, Sybil Niden Goldrich of the Command Trust Network (an "information" clearinghouse for women with breast implants)
I feel like we're finally being vindicated... We've been told our sicknesses are in our heads, basically that we're crazy.
Vindicated? Hardly. Fooled again is more likely. To rewrite The Who's classic rock anthem Won't Get Fooled Again: