Nearly 8% of hip implants not backed by safety evidence

Almost 8% of all implants used in hip replacement surgery have no readily available evidence relating to their safety or effectiveness, finds a study published on bmj.com today.The researchers say the current regulation process "seems to be entirely inadequate" and they call for a revised system for introducing new orthopaedic devices.The high failure rate of some metal-on-metal hip replacements has highlighted the need for an adequate evidence base for orthopaedic implants.