Mesh implants are used by surgeons to reinforce weak tissue in operations for prolapse, stress incontinence (male and female), hernias, and some breast reconstructions. They are also used in some veterinary surgeries.

Most surgical mesh is a permanent polypropylene implant. Over time, it can harden, fragment, or twist, causing severe complications such as pain, infections, nerve and organ damage, autoimmune disorders, and allergic reactions. Reported conditions include UTIs, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, psoriasis, and food intolerances. Similar issues are seen with biomesh made from pig or cow tissue.

Complications may arise immediately or years later, making the true scale of harm difficult to track. Removal is major, complex surgery and sometimes impossible. See our Surveys page for details of complications.

Pelvic mesh was introduced with minimal evidence and, for years, lacked a specific hospital code, meaning NHS data vastly underestimates those affected. New products continue to be approved under flimsy approval systems such as Europe’s “Equivalence” and the US 510(k), which allow devices to be cleared without robust safety trials. One Oxford professor even demonstrated that supermarket orange netting could meet approval criteria.

Globally, long-term complications remain poorly recorded.

For background reading on the role of industry funding in the mesh scandal this article by Jonathan Gornall describes how mesh became a four-letter word.

Campaign – what we do

  Financial redress; spearhead ongoing lobbying for compensation ℹ️ℹ️

  Drive advocacy for Sunshine transparency legislation modelled on the US system ℹ️ℹ️

  Champion all nine First Do No Harm recommendations, a report we led on ℹ️ℹ️

  Secured the Medical Devices Outcomes Registry to track implant outcomes ℹ️ℹ️

  Influenced landmark APPRAISE study tracking patient outcomes after pelvic surgeries ℹ️ℹ️

  International awareness highlighting a need for fully informed patient consent ℹ️ℹ️

 Bad science; empower patients, policymakers and media to spot flawed research ℹ️ℹ️

  Promote mandatory reporting by doctors to the MHRA Yellow Card system ℹ️

  Advocate for fair legal time limits for harmed patients ℹ️

📧Get in touch: slingthemesh@gmail.com

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