RE: dead...- Here is the full press release that the B.C. Health Minister released
- It removes some uncertainty from Coastal but it seemed like a done deal
- Since the internet has gained traction over the past 10 years or so, some manufacturers have decided to compete against their distributors (who are the manufacturers customers) and sell their products online. Few have had success, I believe. I haven't personally spent very much time on this but companies have not moved in this direction. If these manufacturers were going to do this, they would have done this by now. These global companies are not waiting for the B.C. Health Minister's decision. COA does a good business in B.C. because that is where they were founded but it is a small percentage of their global business.
- Coastal is the modern company and the modern way of purchasing contacts and glasses. Coastal's business is growing by 15% per annum, J&J, CIBA, etc., are not. The customers are pretty clear on this.
- What is possible but still unlikely, is that the manufacturers buy a company like Coastal to more quickly ramp up their online sales but it still seems unlikely
- Are you suggesting that COA will show 15% growth, year over year over year and then, -50%, -50% and then dead? Does that seems logical to you?
B.C.MODERNIZESREGULATIONS FOR SALE OF EYEWEAR
VICTORIA – The Provinceintroduced a seriesof changes today that will modernize the way in which British Columbiansgettheir glasses and contact lenses, and give them more choice, announcedHealthServices Minister Kevin Falcon.
“Afterlengthyconsultation on some of these issues, and a recent court decision thatcausedus to take a broader look at all the existing regulations, now is thetime totake action,” said Falcon. “With advances in technology and moreconsumersturning to the Internet, it makes sense to modernize a decades-oldsystem togive British Columbians more choice while maintaining public safety.”
TheProvince isgiving six weeks’ notice that effective May 1, 2010, changes will bemade tothe regulations for opticians and optometrists under the HealthProfessionsAct, including:
·Removal of most of the restrictionsthat allowonly opticians or optometrists, or workers supervised by them, todispenseglasses or contacts.
·Allowing prescriptions issued bymedical doctorsand optometrists outside of the province to be filled within B.C.
·Allowing people to order glasses orcontactsonline without having to give the seller a copy of their prescription,sight-test assessment or contact-lens specifications.
·Requiring opticians and optometrists inB.C. toinclude in a prescription or sight-test assessment the measurement ofdistancebetween the client’s pupils, which is required for the proper fitting ofglasses.
·Requiring opticians and optometrists inB.C. togive clients, free of charge, a copy of their prescription, sight-testassessment or contact-lens specifications – whether or not it isrequested bythe client – and also to give a copy, free of charge, to a third-partyeyewearseller or other person if requested by the client.
Theinitialfitting of contacts to determine the lens specifications will still bedoneonly by an optician, optometrist or medical doctor, or workerssupervised bythem, using information contained in a prescription or sight-testassessment.
Alsotaking effecton May 1 is a change to optician sight-testing. Opticians will now beable toindependently conduct sight-tests for healthy clients aged 19-65. Thiseliminates the extra step of having a sight-test reviewed by a medicaldoctorwho then issues a prescription. Instead, a screening process will be putinplace to ensure a client is healthy enough to be eligible for thesight-test,and is fully informed about the difference between a sight-test and aneye-healthexamination.
Thescreeningprocess will also require the optician to refer a client to a medicaldoctor oroptometrist if the client has a specified pre-existing condition or ifcertaintest results occur. Regular eye-health examinations will still berecommendedfor all British Columbians, who should consult a medical doctor oroptometristabout how often they should have an eye-health examination.
AnOctober 2009decision by the B.C. Court of Appeal found that Coastal Contacts, aB.C.-basedonline eyewear seller with approximately 120 employees, is contraveningtheregulations by dispensing contact refills without seeing a prescription.Theseregulatory changes will address the court decision.