Health ministry inspectors knew there were problems with PIP breast implants before 2010 and surgeons had already reported high leakage rates, RTL news reported on Wednesday.

The broadcaster said 47 complaints about the French imports had been made prior to 2010 but inspectors did nothing with the information. The complaints were made between 2002 and 2008, the research showed.
Use of the implants made by French manufacturer PIP was banned in the Netherlands in 2010 after the French authorities reported a number of problems.
Up to 5,000 suspect PIP implants, made from industrial-grade silicone, may have been sold in the Netherlands.