Enforcement Activities
This article was originally published in SRA
Executive Summary
Prescription warning for cosmetic lens suppliers in US
Prescription warning for cosmetic lens suppliers in US
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning sellers of cosmetic contact lenses not to sell their products to consumers without a valid prescription1.
The FTC sent warning letters on 12 October to 15 sellers of non-corrective lenses who appeared to be providing their products without a prescription, with guidance on their obligations under the Contact Lens Rule. According to the rule, sellers of both corrective and non-corrective cosmetic contact lenses must have a copy of a valid contact lens prescription before dispensing their products to consumers. Failure to obtain a copy of a prescription or verify it with prescribers can result in civil penalties of up to $11,000.
Congress enacted the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act in 2003, which imposed new prescription release and verification requirements on contact lens prescribers and sellers. The FTC issued the Contact Lens Rule in 2004 to implement the act, and Congress amended the act in 2005 to require prescriptions for purely cosmetic lenses.
References
1. FTC press release, 17 October 2007, www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/10/contacts.shtm