Breast Implant Maker Alters Hot Line Policy

In response to a warning from the Food and Drug Administration, the Dow Corning Wright Co. on Tuesday began limiting what operators can tell callers to the company’s silicone gel breast implant hot line.

Robert Grupp, a Dow Corning spokesman, said that operators answering calls at the Dow Implant Information Center are being told to not enter into long conversations about the risks and benefits of the implants but only to offer to mail written material.

The action is being taken as a result of an FDA warning letter sent to Dow Corning on Monday in which the company was charged with giving out misleading information about breast implants on its hot line. The letter said Dow Corning was to take immediate corrective action and tell the FDA of its plans in writing by the end of business on Thursday.

Grupp said that prior to the letter, the hot line operators were often on the telephone for up to 40 minutes with women who had received silicone gel implants.

“Because of the FDA letter, we no longer can engage in conversations as we did in the past,” he said. Grupp said the operators would mention only the FDA’s concerns about breast implants.