Britain's government says it sees no need for the routine removal of breast implants made by French company Poly Implant Prothese, despite an international scare over the firm's use of industrial rather than medical silicone.

France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and other nations have recommended that their citizens have the implants removed or monitored, saying the implants with the industrial silicone are more likely to rupture.

But British Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said Friday that there is not enough evidence of danger to recommend removal for the estimated 40,000 British women who have them.

He also said any implants put in by the state-funded National Health Service, which mainly uses them for cancer patients, would be assessed and removed free of charge. He urged private health care companies to do the same.

Poly Implant Prothese was forced to shut down after its breast implants were pulled from the market last year. France has recommended that the estimated 30,000 women there who have the implants get them removed.

Earlier Friday, the Czech Health Ministry advised some 2,000 Czech women who have the implants to have them removed.

On Thursday, French Health Minister Xavier Bertrand called for the European Union to impose stiffer rules on medical devices, including breast implants.