Implications
Even though Bausch & Lomb appears to be getting back on its feet in the contact lens and solution market, their lawsuit woes continue to pile up. At 573 and counting, these lawsuits are expected to cost them over $1 billion.
Analysis
With the recent buyout of Bausch & Lomb (B&L) by Warburg Pincus, it would seem that they are on the recovery trail. But, this report definitely indicates that it will be quite some time, and will require quite a lot of money, before their ReNu MoisturLoc problems are resolved.
I found it interesting that the article stated that the CDC directly named the poor disinfecting properties of the MoisturLoc solution, and not the questionable contact lens hygiene habits of the users, as the cause of the Fusarium outbreak. I've read reports from B&L stating that poor contact lens hygiene was just as responsible for the outbreak as the solution itself. Also, I never realized also that the South Carolina plant that produced the MoisturLoc had been cited by the FDA for prior quality control problems. Who knows, maybe the Fusarium outbreak could have been avoided if someone at B&L had fixed these quality control problems.
On a personal note, B&L continues to be my least prescribed company, as far as contact lenses and contact lens solutions go. I've talked to our rep. a couple times trying to get some contact lens trial sets in my office, but he continue to insist they will only send sets to those who sell a large volume of their contacts. My argument that, "If I don't have any trial lenses, how am I going to sell your lenses?" didn't convince him. Somehow Vistakon and Coopervision both take this argument to heart, and send me as many trial sets as I ask for. The B&L rep. also told me that he couldn't send me any contact lens solution (ReNu Multiplus) because they didn't have any to give me. They were back-ordered because of the increased demand after AMO's Complete had been recalled. This is their big chance to gain a big chunk of their lost market share, and they're dropping the ball.
So, 573 state and federal lawsuits to date, many years in court, potentially over $1 billion, and at least one unsatisfied Optometrist... B&L has a tough road ahead.
