In the News

May 31, 2016
LEGAL NEWSLINE

Contact Lens Retailers Oppose Tightening Rules for Verifying Prescriptions

A group of contact lens retailers and consumers stand in sharp disagreement with groups calling for legislation changing the way a retailer verifies a prescription with an eye doctor.

Anyone who wants to buy contact lenses must have a prescription. An eye doctor is required to give a copy of the prescription to a patient automatically so the patient can shop around for the best price. In turn, the retailer is required to verify the prescription with the eye doctor before filling the order.

Currently, the law allows for passive verification, which means a prescription is verified if the prescriber doesn’t respond to the seller within eight business hours.

The Contact Lens Consumer Health Protection Act of 2016, introduced in April by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), would allow prescribers to interrupt the passive verification process when they have a question or concern about the prescription. In those cases, the seller would have to wait until the prescriber gives the go-ahead.

The bill also would set up a toll-free number and email in which prescribers can ask questions.

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