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Bausch & Lomb in Singapore contact lens solution scare

SINGAPORE, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Eye care product maker Bausch & Lomb on Tuesday stood by the safety of its multipurpose contact lens solution after health officials in Singapore advised consumers against using the product over health concerns.
The company on Friday suspended sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in the city-state after the health ministry raised concerns about the product due to an increase in cases of a rare eye infection.

"We are confident that a thorough and scientific investigation will clear our product of any involvement," a company spokeswoman said.
She added sales of the product were not affected in other countries.
Singapore's health ministry said 22 people had been affected by the fungal corneal infection since last May. All except one of the cases used the ReNu solution. Three of them had to undergo urgent cornea transplants, it added.

"In view of the potentially serious adverse visual consequences of fungal corneal infection, it would be prudent, as a precautionary measure, for contact lens users to discontinue using Bausch and Lomb's ReNu multipurpose contact lens solution for the time being," the health ministry said in a statement on Monday.
Bausch & Lomb's U.S.-based chief medical officer Brian Levy arrived in Singapore on Monday to assist the local health authorities with investigations.
The company said it had conducted preliminary tests on samples in the U.S. factory that supplies Singapore and found the samples safe, but added that complete testing could take up to three weeks. Bausch & Lomb has a market capitalisation of almost $4 billion and competes with Alcon Inc. , the world's biggest eye-care products company with a market capitalisation of $36 billion.

yeah yeah... i know its old news...... but anyway... i have 2 big bottles left... damn....




+ vodka cat updated @ 7:12 pm

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