Implants
Can metal-on-metal hip implants cause local or systemic effects?
SCENIHR said metal-on-metal implants may cause local and systemic adverse effects. Local responses range from small asymptomatic lesions to severe bone and soft-tissue destruction. Large-diameter implants had the highest incidence of local reactions. Evidence for systemic organ toxicity, carcinogenicity, and teratogenicity was judged insufficient.
Opinion
Terms used in the opinion include metallosis, ALVAL, pseudotumours, and ARMD. Whole-blood cobalt screening and the 2 to 7 µg/L range are on the cobalt and ion-test pages. SCENIHR PDF. A later SCHEER opinion on these hips was not located.
Related pages
Sources
Heavy Metal Index
Heavy Metal Index: Cobalt. This Heavy Metal Index URL returned HTTP 200 on 15 October 2026. Figures on this page are not copied from that index. They come from the sources named above.
What's safe to buy
The Heavy Metal Tested and Certified public register listed no licensees on 15 October 2026. That page reported 0 certified brands and 0 certified products, and it stated that no brand has completed the three-lot baseline. A specimen layout on the register is an illustration, not a licensee. This page does not name or rank any brand.
The program states that certification is a measurement of a product against a published limit, not a statement that the product is safe. If a licensee is later listed for this category, it will be on the register.
This page summarizes cited documents. It does not diagnose or prescribe. Reviewed 15 October 2026.