Essure: Deadly Devices

The Long Read: This post is an excerpt from our upcoming book on medical devices and their harmful and deadly effects. At times it's heavy going on the facts, so we recommend reading in several goes.

I was made aware of Essure by BBC’s Jessica Furst. I had previously worked with her on Transvaginal Mesh, ‘Hi Carl, Hope you're well. I know it's holiday time, but might it be possible to arrange a chat? We hope to start filming the first week of August, so just checking in with you about where we stand.’

It’s not often a device that goes under my radar, but somehow Essure had. I was a bit uncomfortable about this as I uncovered serious, disturbing issues as soon as I started digging.  

Essure is a harrowing story and a sorry tale of regulatory failings in the US and Europe. It also highlights how problems with allergic reactions were ignored, how conflicts went unchecked and how the problems snowballed until the device was finally removed from the market.