Infection concern spreads to other Bausch & Lomb products

Thursday, 04 May 2006

New data from an investigation into a recent outbreak of the fungal eye infection Fusarium keratitis suggests that more than one contact lens solution may be responsible. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that out of 58 patients with symptoms of Fusarium keratitis infection, more than half were users of Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with MoistureLoc. But after 38% of patients reported using ReNu MultiPlus or another Bausch & Lomb brand, speculation is growing that other company products may be implicated in the infection outbreak. Bausch & Lomb stock dropped almost 10% on May 3, 2006 as a result of the news. Bausch & Lomb says that it is planning to meet with CDC officials to review the data and plan an appropriate course of action. “Despite an incredible effort by the company, the [Food and Drug Administration], CDC and experts around the world, we don’t yet know why this fungus is causing infections in contact lens wearers,” Bausch & Lomb CEO Ronald Zarrella says. Bausch & Lomb issued a U.S. ReNu recall on April 10 because of the suspected link between ReNu with MoistureLoc and Fusarium keratitis symptoms. However, financial experts believe that this may not have been enough to protect users and restore consumer confidence in its line of contact lens solutions. “Without an overwhelming majority [of CDC-reported cases] leaning to MoistureLoc, we believe [Bausch & Lomb’s] rationale for removing MoistureLoc and not all of ReNu is no longer intact and the risk of a larger recall is increasing,” says financial analyst David Maris. Bausch & Lomb has not yet announced plans to issue a worldwide ReNu recall.