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Patient safety alliance briefs Senate staff on counterfeit contact lenses

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The Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety sponsored a briefing for U.S. Senate Policy Staff on the medical dangers and safety threats posed by counterfeit contact lenses in Washington.

A 2017 study conducted by the FDA found that 60% of counterfeit lenses tested were positive for microbial contamination, according to a press release from the alliance.

The Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety has made it a priority to prevent the dangerous sale of counterfeit lenses, which can cause vision loss, the group said.

“In today’s global marketplace, we are likely to continue to see counterfeit contact lenses become prevalent and sophisticated,” Mike Mayers, OD, FAAO, director of advocacy at Johnson & Johnson Vision, said during the panel. “We must partner with others, including our government, as a greater force to deter the growing threat of counterfeit. Today’s briefing was a step forward in growing that partnership.”

The panel also included: Malvina Eydelman, MD, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA; Deanna Alexander, OD, FAAO, chairwoman, Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety; and Chris Wroten, OD, optometrist, Bond Wroten Eye Clinic in Louisiana.