Abstract

This case is about the crisis faced by Bausch & Lomb (B&L), a leading eye care company, in the wake of reports linking its contact lens cleaner, ReNu with MoistureLoc (ReNu MoistureLoc), to a fungal infection of the eye called Fusarium keratitis. B&L decided to suspend the US shipments of this product and asked US retailers to temporarily remove ReNu MoistureLoc from their shelves. The case discusses the views of some marketing and branding experts who highlighted the inadequate action taken by B&L when the initial reports of the infection came out in Asia. The company’s critics felt that B&L had not handled the crisis well and was likely to pay the price for it in terms of loss of sales, loss of image, and lawsuits. However, there were others who pointed out that B&L was not all to blame because there was no clear link established between B&L’s product and the infection.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the challenges faced by a company in managing a product crisis
• Understand the importance of clear and effective communication with customers in the event of a controversy/crisis.

Keywords

Bausch and Lomb, ReNu with MoistureLoc, Contact Lens Solution, Pharmaceuticals, Fungal eye infection, Fusarium keratitis, US Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brand Management, Crisis Management, Product recall, Consumer class action lawsuit, Alcon, Outbreak, Tylenol controversy