Screenshots

BREAKING NEWS! The Health Ministry has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all ReNu multipurpose contact lens care solutions manufactured by Bausch & Lomb from the local market following cases of contact lens-related fungal eye infections.

The order was issued by Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek tonight.

SOURCE: Bernama, March 15, 2006

In the last three days, Screenshots has been running a series of blog entries, urging the health authority to look into the matter urgently. On March 13, Screenshots also tipped off a senior member of the Health Ministry pertaining to this issue of public interest.

Screenshots is alarmed that though Bausch & Lomb has voluntarily withdrawn ReNu from the Singapore and Hong Kong markets, the company did not accord the same precaution in Malaysia.

According to Minister Dr Chua, there are three contact lens solutions produced by Bausch & Lomb marketed locally under the brand names of ReNu, Alcon and Complete.

Quote Bernama, time-stamped 21:35hr:

The ministry's statement said that as of today, the Tun Hussein Onn Hospital had listed 14 contact lens-related infective keratitis cases between January 2005 and February 2006.

"Out of these 14, six patients cited ReNu as the solution used, one used a combination of ReNu and Alcon solutions while four reported using Complete solution," the statement added.

In The Star report dated Feb 25, Bausch & Lomb South-East Asia managing director Foo Eng Chuan was quoted as saying that his company would not suspend the sales of ReNu multi-purpose solution in Malaysia. Reason: "There had been no report of corneal infection in Malaysia so far."

Dr Chua was quoted by Bernama as saying that there was no time frame given to the company to withdraw its products "but they should be responsible".

The minister was elaborating tonight on a statement issued earlier by the ministry which asked all manufacturers and suppliers of contact lens solutions to check and test their products to ensure they were safe following the fungal eye infections reported in Singapore and Hong Kong recently.

However, Dr Chua said, the withdrawal order only applied to ReNu based on information received from the Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital.

Thank you Dr Chua for listening to the voices of Screenshots and its readers. Malaysia has benefitted from your decisive action.