GOC issues warning over vCJD measures

The statement, which is currently being drawn up by the GOC standards committee, will give practitioners guidance on any re-use of contact lenses. It was agreed at a special meeting of the GOC standards committee on July 29 to issue the statement in response to fears raised last month by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee of the possible risk of transmitting vCJD through re-used contact lenses. The GOC said: 'The [standards] committee concluded that it is essential to take all reasonable steps to protect the public from any risk which may arise from the re-use of contact lenses.' The policy statement will emphasise that a contact lens 'should not be re-used without there being a proper clinical reason to do so in the particular circumstances of the patient.' Practitioners who act contrary to the statement could face disciplinary action for serious professional misconduct. Registrar Richard Wilshin confirmed a disciplinary hearing could be followed by a fine, to a maximum &\#163;1,600, or being removed from the register, or both. Mr Wilshin could not give further details on the policy statement but confirmed that it did not specify the types of lenses that could not be re-used. There have been questions about whether trial lenses should be defined as diagnostic fitting sets or whether the definition should include lenses issued to patients to test their tolerance to lens wear. It has also been suggested that rigid trial lenses are safe to re-use (News, July 2). 'Contact lenses and lens techniques are changing all the time so specific advice that is right one day might be insufficient or incorrect the next day,' said Mr Wilshin. 'Our approach is directed at the skill and judgement of the profession. Practitioners will know the proper action to take.' Mr Wilshin could not comment on when the statement would be issued, but said it would be 'soon'.