Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 23:04:48 -0700

To: Recipient List Suppressed:;

Ilena, Please post to all,

Every one of us need to go to this site and read what it says about silica dust in other countries. It provides a very strong argument for us that we re ally need right now. Manufacturers are hauling out all their heavy artillery against us through their ads for saline implants (containing silicone), and at this time, very influencial and powerful people such as Howard Stern (and others) are very helpful to their cause as well. Now would certainly be the time to notify the public about this type of information. I will be writing an e-mail to Howard Stern with this information and I hope that every one of us will gather up all of our strength to do this one thing right now--with the hope that he will listen and stop 'rallying for" breast implants. If silica is an "occupational hazard" then it certainly shouldn't be put in human bodies in any form. It makes sense to me, and I'm sure it does to all of you, and hopefully it will 'wake up' the public.

I am getting stronger since my explant in May, and if I can assist anyone who has the inclination to get some of this information to the public through the media, I am certainly willing to help where I can.

Kate

Breast Implants

There was a "Request for referral of patients who have developed myositis or scleroderma after silicone implants or injections" by the Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Immunology, Bethesda, Maryland. The link has since gone bad but a thorough Internet search might yield more information on this subject.

Scleroderma and Augmentation Mammoplasty - A Causal Relationship? "This study failed to demonstrate an association between silicone breast implantation and the subsequent development of scleroderma, to a relative risk level as low as 4.5 with 90% power." By Englert HJ, Brooks P. Aust NZ J Med 1994;24

Dow Corning Implant Information Booklet Silicone Breast, Chin and Testicular Implants Dow Corning

A Comparison of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Scleroderma Patients with and without Silicone Breast Implants "These studies suggest that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma who have breast implants have classical but somewhat different and milder disease with less organ-threatening involvement than those without implants." Journal of Clinical Rheumatology