An initial study performed by the United Kingdom National Joint Registry has determined no initial link between metal-on-metal hip failures and cancer. The studies were performed after some health experts expressed concern that the shedding of metal particles such as cobalt and chromium from the all metal hip replacement devices might lead to higher incidences of cancer. Thus far, the study shows no such occurrence. Of course, the study is limited to the United Kingdom that has a national database tracking mechanism in place that allows health officials to monitor and track such implanted medical devices. The United States is one of the few developed countries in the world that has no such registry. Obviously, this places safety officials and hip replacement patients at a decided disadvantage.
Last year, the US FDA ordered all manufacturers of metal-on-metal hip implants to conduct follow-up studies on implant recipients and report their findings to the FDA. The companies include Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Biomet, Zimmer, Smith & Nephew, and Wright Medical. Some of these companies have already faced civil hip lawsuits for their faulty hip devices such as the J&J ASR hip and the Pinnacle hip models.