Implant Files

Health authorities across the globe have failed to protect millions of patients from poorly tested implants, the first-ever global examination of the medical device industry reveals.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

We Used AI to Identify the Sex of 340,000 People Harmed by Medical Devices

By Marina Walker Guevara

The FDA won’t release data about whether patients were female or male, so ICIJ joined forces with Stanford to find answers.
Implant Files

Australian Patients Win in Closely Watched Mesh Class Action

By Spencer Woodman

Hundreds of Australian women who suffered from a controversial type of transvaginal mesh won a landmark class action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson.
Implant Files

Safety data from 20 countries added to Implant Files database

By Delphine Reuter, Pauliina Siniauer, Margot Williams and 3 more

The International Medical Device Database now has more than 120,000 records about faulty or even dangerous medical devices from 46 countries.

Do you work in the medical industry? Or have experience with a medical device? Our reporting is not done yet. We want to hear from you.

Tell us your story!

Implant Files: An Introduction

By ICIJ.org

Patients around the world have become unwitting test subjects for new medical technology. Often following the trusted advice of their doctors, they have been injured, maimed and killed by poorly-tested implants.

In this investigation

YOUR STORIES

Readers from 50 countries share medical implant stories

By Amy Wilson-Chapman and Agustin Armendariz

Implant Files

FDA challenged over metal implants ‘public health travesty’

By Sasha Chavkin

Implant Files

FDA recommends tough warnings for breast implants

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

India strengthens medical device regulation

By Scilla Alecci

IMPACT

Allergan Recalls Textured Breast Implants Globally Due to Cancer Links

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

Australia set to join nations banning textured breast implants over cancer links

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

European regulators poised to reveal limited implant safety data

By Simon Bowers

IMPACT

FDA Releases Vast Trove of Hidden Medical Device Injury and Malfunction Reports

By Ben Hallman

DEVICE SAFETY

European health ministers fight to postpone medical device safety laws

By Simon Bowers

IMPACT

Canada joins textured breast implants ban over cancer links

By Douglas Dalby

DATA JOURNALISM

Lessons from Inside the Implant Files

By Ben Hallman and Emilia Díaz-Struck

Implant Files

Patients ‘Discouraged’ As US Announces It Won’t Ban Cancer-Linked Breast Implants

By Sasha Chavkin

Implant Files

US Halts Sale of Vaginal Mesh Blamed for Thousands of Injuries

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

Australia Announces Medical Device Action Plan to Address Patient Concerns

By Will Fitzgibbon

VIDEO

Video: The 30-Year Fight For Breast Implant Safety

By Scilla Alecci

IMPACT

Canada Halts Sales of Cancer-Linked Breast Implants, as Global Scrutiny Grows

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

France Bans Breast Implants Linked to Heightened Cancer Risk

By Sasha Chavkin

Implant Files

Italy Announces Medical Device Registries After Implant Files

By Scilla Alecci

IMPACT

US To Disclose Records Tracking Millions Of Medical Device Problems

By Sasha Chavkin

PATIENT SAFETY

FDA Kept Hundreds of Thousands of Breast Implant Incidents Hidden From Public

By Sasha Chavkin

FAQ

What are textured breast implants and are they safe?

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

US to Investigate Health Impact of Nickel, Silicone in Medical Implants

By Sasha Chavkin

DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEM

French Parliamentary Body Advocates For Radical Overhaul Of Medical Device Market

By Douglas Dalby

IMPLANT FILES

Leading manufacturer exits vaginal mesh market

By Simon Bowers

EUROPE

Belgium Investigates Medical Device Bribery Allegations In Wake Of Implant Files

By Douglas Dalby

IMPACT

‘It is a big problem’: European lawmakers discuss medical device oversight

By Douglas Dalby

US ELECTION

Amy Klobuchar’s Implant Industry Support Complicates Her Pro-Consumer Reputation

By Spencer Woodman, Sydney P. Freedberg and Amy Forliti

IMPACT

The Implant Files Sparked Reform Around The World. Here’s Why We’re Still Reporting.

By Sasha Chavkin

SAFETY CHECK

Video: How To Search The International Medical Devices Database

By Razzan Nakhlawi and Emilia Díaz-Struck

NEW STUDY

Rare immune-system cancer linked for first time to buttock implant

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

Britain Considers Medical Implants Registry to Improve Patient Safety

By Simon Bowers

DEVICE SAFETY

Experts Weigh Whether Vaginal Mesh Should Be Pulled From US Market

By Sasha Chavkin

IMPACT

French inquiry urges ban of popular breast implant but balks at blanket prohibition

By Sasha Chavkin and Douglas Dalby

IMPACT

Germany moves on implant registry

By Douglas Dalby

Implant Files

Implant tourism leaves patients in pain and far from their surgeon

By Will Fitzgibbon

WITHOUT WARNING

Patients Across The World Outraged By Failure To Inform Them Of Device Dangers

By Spencer Woodman and Razzan Nakhlawi

BREAST IMPLANTS

Allergan Faces Fresh Woes As Investors Sue

By Sasha Chavkin

ACCOUNTABILITY

Europe Has A Chance To Force Medical Device Companies To Make Safety Data Public

By Simon Bowers

TRANSPARENCY

How medical device harm is concealed

By Sasha Chavkin

DATA METHODOLOGY

Algorithms, Analysis And Adverse Events: How ICIJ Used Machine Learning To Help Find Medical Device Issues

By Emilia Díaz-Struck and Rigoberto Carvajal

IMPACT

Allergan Textured Breast Implant Sales Halted in Europe Amid Safety Controversy

By Simon Bowers and Hamish Boland-Rudder

BROKEN RECALLS

Hidden dangers: patients, doctors not informed of defective implants

By Spencer Woodman

KEY FACTS

Everything You Need to Know About the Implant Files

By Hilary Fung and Antonio Cucho

UNDER THE SKIN

Patients Fight For Answers As Broken Implants Cause Unseen Agony

By Spencer Woodman

Implant Files

Breast Implant Injuries Kept Hidden As New Health Threats Surface

By Sasha Chavkin

CONFRONTING THE UNKNOWN

Experts Warn Expanded Heart Valve Use Risks Patient Safety

By Cat Ferguson and Petra Blum

IMPLANT FILES

Medical Devices Harm Patients Worldwide As Governments Fail On Safety

By ICIJ

THE MEDTRONIC WAY

Medtech Giant Pushes Boundaries As Casualties Mount And Sales Soar

By Sydney P. Freedberg and Scilla Alecci

THE WORLD'S GUINEA PIGS

How Lobbying Blocked European Safety Checks For Dangerous Medical Implants

By Simon Bowers

COST OF REVOLUTION

Patient Hopes Rise And Fall As An Industry Balances Progress And Profit

By Dean Starkman and Delphine Reuter

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICES DATABASE

New Database Tracks Faulty Medical Devices Across The Globe

By Emilia Díaz-Struck

INFORMATION

Frequently asked questions and resources for readers

By Amy Wilson-Chapman

Implant Files

Video: Meet The Patients With Defective Devices

By Razzan Nakhlawi

Implant Files

Do events in the Implant Files sound familiar? Share your story with the world

By ICIJ

Implant Files

Video: A Global Investigation Into Medical Device Harm

By Scilla Alecci

Implant Files

Video: Why Join The Implant Files Investigation?

By Razzan Nakhlawi

In Our blog

Safety data from 20 countries added to Implant Files database
Implant Files honored with multiple awards around world
Implant Files reporter’s own medical device ‘nightmare’
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