Decontamination hope from vCJD research may lead to decontamination system

New guidance for the profession regarding the re-use of trial contact lenses could be in place before the New Year. The optical group tasked by the Department of Health to develop guidance on the dilemma that has faced the profession for over a year now, has said that research may have found an 'effective decont- amination system' for ophthalmic devices and trial contact lenses. This new development could lead to a new directive regarding the matter from the College of Optometrists/Association of British Dispensing Opticians working party being released after College Council meetings taking place this month. The group's chairman, Gwyneth Morgan, said: 'The working group was encouraged by the preliminary results of some research funded by the parent bodies. 'These results suggest it might be possible to develop an effective decontamination system based on sodium hypochlorite.' She said details would be published as soon as 'definitive results' were available and the College/ABDO guidance will be sent to all optometrists and dispensing opticians when it has been ratified by both organisations' councils. Representatives from the other optical professional bodies, including the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers, have also been involved in the working group. This week the Government released new figures on the numbers who have the disease. To November 3 2000 the total number of definite and probable cases of vCJD is 85, including seven probable deaths from vCJD where neuropathological confirmation will never be possible.