Bausch & Lomb Facing US Lawsuit Over Lens Solution

Archives Admin · #1 (**permalink**) 04-17-2006, 01:32 PM

A widely used Bausch & Lomb contact lens solution was pulled from major US retailers' shelves on Thursday at the urging of the company, as a lawsuit was filed charging that it failed to disclose the product's link to serious eye infections among users in Asia.

Parker and Waichman, a high-profile New York law firm that has successfully sued several drug companies, said it had been retained by a 53-year-old man who claims to have suffered serious damage to his sight.

The law firm has set up a Web site, www.renulawsuit.com, inviting others to report any infections they have suffered after using the Bausch solution -- ReNu with MoistureLoc -- with a view to suing the company.

"Consumers have really started reaching out," said Jason Mark, an attorney in charge of the mass tort department at Parker and Waichman.

"We've been contacted by hundreds and hundreds of people who've suffered injuries in connection with their use of the Renu with Moistureloc solution, including many who've suffered the fungal inflammation and are awaiting corneal transplants," he said.

"Whether it takes the form of a class action or a series of individual cases remains to be determined. But we absolutely expect to file legal action," Mark said.

A Bausch & Lomb spokeswoman said she had not seen the proposed class-action lawsuit and could not comment.

Sears Holdings Corp said it pulled ReNu with MoistureLoc from its Kmart and Sears stores, joining Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Walgreen Co and other retailers in clearing the lens solution from their shelves.

Bausch & Lomb asked stores to temporarily remove the solution three days after it stopped shipments. It said it would run newspaper ads warning consumers not to use the solution.

However, it is adamant that it has found nothing wrong with the best-selling solution, which is used to disinfect and store soft contact lenses.

"Every additional test indicates the formulation is as safe and effective as anything else on the market," chief executive Ronald Zarrella said in a conference call with analysts and reporters on Wednesday.

US health authorities are looking into 109 cases in 17 states of Fusarium keratitis, a rare fungal infection that can cause permanent vision loss if untreated.

People in 26 of those cases said they used ReNu products or generic versions made by Bausch & Lomb. Most of the patients reported using ReNu with MoistureLoc manufactured at the company's US factory, it said.

Bausch & Lomb said in a statement it had inspected its plants and didn't find any link to the infections.
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Bausch & Lomb Facing US Lawsuit Over Lens Solution

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