HEALTH

Dow Corning Halts Manufacture of Breast Implants: The company, which has defended the safety of its silicone breast implants, announced that it is halting production at the two factories that make the devices. The leading U.S. maker of the breast-enlarging sacs said production won’t resume until questions about the safety of the devices are answered. Midland, Mich.-based Dow Corning said it is taking a $25-million charge against earnings in the fourth quarter to pay for the shutdowns at its medical equipment manufacturing plants in Hemlock, Mich., and Arlington, Tenn., and to cover other expenses associated with the controversy.