The new vaginal mesh guidelines introduced by NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) have already been hit with heavy criticism.
A lack of focus on the long-term impact to women who have suffered complications, as well as a lack of clarity on the use of non-surgical methods, have been questioned.
The guidelines appear to accept that there’s a lack of knowledge about the long-term impact, yet there are thousands of women who could tell their stories. As a law firm who are representing women whose mesh procedures have failed, we can tell you from experience just how bad it can be.
Parliamentary criticism over new vaginal mesh guidelines
Owen Smith MP, the Chairman for the cross-party surgical mesh group, has criticised the new vaginal mesh guidelines. He said:
“I am deeply disappointed that the updated guidelines appear to disregard mesh-injured women’s experiences by stating that there is no long-term evidence of adverse effects.
Thousands of women have faced life-changing injuries following mesh surgery and they must not be ignored.”
He also went on to highlight the lack of clarity over the focus on using non-surgical methods first.
The authors of the guidelines say that the experiences of women have who have suffered problems has been taken into account. They do not believe that the surgical option should be removed, and that instead, women should be fully informed about what can go wrong, with better support in place.
Its also understood that a national registry is to be used for keeping track of problems as well.
Are the new vaginal mesh guidelines enough?
When it comes to the question as to whether the new vaginal mesh guidelines, all we can do is relate to the experiences of the women we represent. We’re not medical experts.
However, it’s not hard to see the extent of the damage that can be caused when mesh procedures go wrong. Some women can be left with permanent problems, and they can lead to some being unable to walk or work ever again. With that kind of risk involved, women need to be in the position to seek justice when their problems could have been prevented; whether that’s by the use of alternative treatment, or with better surgical technique.
We can see why the new vaginal mesh guidelines have been met with such fierce criticism by some. The 2018 widespread pause in the use of mesh in the NHS was a step in the right direction, but the latest guidelines have not allayed the concerns that may people still have.
