Burgess offers bipartisan bill to protect America’s consumers of online contact lenses

U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to protect the nation’s contact lens consumers from unsafe online sales practices.

“In the 21st century marketplace, American patients have more options for buying contact lenses than ever before,” Rep. Burgess said. “It is critical for patients to receive the correct prescription when ordering contact lenses — regardless of where they place the order.”

Rep. Burgess on July 25 cosponsored the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act, H.R. 3975, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), which would amend the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act to modernize verification of contact lens prescriptions, according to the congressional record summary.

Currently, online retailers aren’t required to have consumers upload their prescriptions, in turn, allowing for the sale of potentially harmful contact lenses, according to a statement released by Rep. Burgess’ office.

Online retailers also are permitted to send a person’s medical information via email without consideration of privacy laws, and may use robocalls to verify patient information, according to the statement.

If enacted, H.R. 3975 would require online retailers to provide an online portal for consumers to upload their prescriptions; to encrypt all medical information sent in emails; and to ban the use of robocalls.

“The Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act would maintain consumers’ freedom while ensuring that physicians can verify their patients’ prescriptions,” said Rep. Burgess.

The bill has garnered the support of the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety, the American Optometric Association, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.