Is there a link between silicone breast implants and connective tissue diseases?
Much research has focused on the link between silicone breast implants and connective tissue diseases such as arthritis and lupus. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began one of the most extensive research studies in medical history when it appointed the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Science to investigate the potential complications of breast implants surgery. The IOM assembled a panel of experts in radiology, women’s health, neurology, oncology, silicone chemistry, rheumatology, immunology, epidemiology, internal medicine and plastic surgery.