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Fusarium Infection/Bausch and
Lomb
Bausch & Lomb first introduced ReNu with MoistureLoc®
into the United States and several foreign markets, including Hong Kong
and Singapore, in late 2004. In November of 2005, the Hong Kong Department
of Health asked Bausch and Lomb to investigate a rising trend in keratitis
among Hong Kong contact lens wearers. In February of 2006, the Singapore
Department of Health identified ReNu as the common brand of lens solution
of 21 of 22 Singapore patients with Fusarium keratitis. As a result, Bausch
& Lomb withdrew ReNu with MoistureLoc® from the Hong Kong and
Singapore markets, but took no action at that time to withdraw the product
from the U.S. market.
On March 8th, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control
received a report from an ophthalmologist in New Jersey regarding three
patients with contact lens associated Fusarium keratitis. Initial contact
by the CDC with several corneal disease specialty centers in the United
States revealed that other centers also have seen recent increases in
Fusarium keratitis. As of April 9th, a total of 109 patients with suspected
Fusarium keratitis were under investigation in multiple states. According
to the CDC, of the 30 patients interviewed at that time, 28 had worn contact
lenses, and 26 could specifically recall using a contact lens solution
manufactured by Bausch & Lomb.
On April 10th, the same day as the public release of
the CDC data, Bausch & Lomb announced that it was suspending shipments
of ReNu with MoistureLoc® to stores in the United States. On May 15th,
Bausch & Lomb announced that it was permanently removing ReNu with
MoistureLoc® from worldwide markets. In announcing the decision, Bausch
& Lomb CEO Ronald L. Zarella acknowledged that “some aspect
of the MoistureLoc formula may be increasing the relative risk of Fusarium
infection in unusual circumstances.” According to subsequent statements
by CEO Zarella, the company has determined that certain comfort- enhancing
polymers unique to the ReNu with MoistureLoc® formula may actually
have had the inadvertent effect of preventing the product’s fungal
disinfectant from killing the Fusarium fungus. As of May 18th, the CDC
had received reports of 130 confirmed cases of Fusarium keratitis since
June 1, 2005, including 26 cases in Florida, more than any other State.
Sands White & Sands, P.A. is currently
representing injured persons in fungal infection cases against Bausch
& Lomb. If you are a contact lens wearer and have suffered an eye
infection within the last two years that you know or suspect was fungal
in nature, please call us immediately for further information about your
legal rights.
MORE INFORMATION
USDA
- Fusarium Infections
CDC
- Fusarium Infections
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