Mass Tort Cases

Consumer Alert: Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc® Soft Contact Lens Solution Recalled

April 26, 2006

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) and the Center for Disease Control (C.D.C.) have begun investigating the use of Bausch & Lomb’s soft contact lens cleaning solution, ReNu with MoistureLoc®, with the nationwide outbreak of over 200 cases of Fusarium Keratitis, a rare and virulent fungal infection.  On March 31, 2006 Bausch & Lomb recalled all unused bottles of ReNu with MoistureLoc® and they were withdrawn from the marketplace.  It appears that the cause of these fungal infections may be linked to contamination of the ReNu with MoistureLoc® solution manufactured at the Bausch & Lomb plant in Greenville, South Carolina.  The F.D.A. and the C.D.C. have conducted a lengthy inspection of the plant and the results of their extensive microbial testing are still pending.

Fusarium is a fungus commonly found in plant material and soil in tropical and sub-tropical climates.  Clusters of a virulent fungal infection, Fusarium Keratitis, first began surfacing in Asia in late 2005.  Bausch & Lomb became aware of the Asian outbreak last year and suspended sales of ReNu with MoistureLoc® in Singapore and Hong Kong in early 2006,  but delayed acting to recall the solution in the United States until March 31, 2006.  As a result, Bausch & Lomb is also being criticized for not having acted sooner to protect consumers here in the United States.

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