Optician news in brief

Shortcomings of the Opticians Act will be up for discussion at a Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers meeting taking place on September 19 at the Institute of Optometry in London. The evening talk will begin by outlining the nature of the profession and then focus on how professional independence may be impeded by existing law. Tickets cost £10 per person and can be obtained by contacting clerk@spectaclemakers.com.

A presidential veto in Brazil on a medical bill which would have affected the practice of the country’s optometrists has been described as a victory by the World Council of Optometry (WCO). Medical bill 268/2002, which sought to regulate the medical profession, has been under discussion for 11 years. Dr Susan Cooper, president of WCO, said: ‘We are pleased that the Brazilian government has recognised the important role that non-medical professions like optometry play in the provision of equitable health care.’