Congress Urges Government Accountability Office to Examine Power Morcellator Cancer Risks
Power morcellators are used to grind tissue in the body so it can be more easily removed from a small incision. While the use of the morcellator can make certain procedures faster and less invasive, it can also put patients at an increased risk of developing certain cancers.
The power morcellator cancer risk is the result of dormant cancerous cells being released into the body as tissue is processed and removed. These cancerous cells can then travel to other parts of the body where they may metastasize.
Roughly 1-in-350 women have been found to have these cancerous cells in their body, and studies show patients are at a significantly increased risk of developing the disease if they undergo a procedure utilizing a power morcellator.
Despite these risks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken little action to protect the public from this product. The agency simply issued warnings against the use of power morcellators during medical procedures, rather than pulling the device from the market.
These actions have come under scrutiny recently, though. According to Philly.com, several members of Congress are requesting that the Government Accountability Office reviews the recommendations made by the FDA about the use of power morcellators.
The legal staff at Rainwater, Holt & Sexton understands the dangers a faulty medical device can pose to patients, and our Arkansas defective product lawyers are hopeful a further investigation into FDA’s decisions can prevent others from being harmed.
