---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 7601"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "7601"
heading: "Availability of contact lens prescriptions to patients"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/7601"
units:
  - "Chapter 102 — Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers"
---

# §7601. Availability of contact lens prescriptions to patients

- (a) **In general—** When a [prescriber](/usc/15/7610.md?p=2) completes a [contact lens fitting](/usc/15/7610.md?p=1), the [prescriber](/usc/15/7610.md?p=2)—
  - (1) whether or not requested by the patient, shall provide to the patient a copy of the [contact lens prescription](/usc/15/7610.md?p=3); and
  - (2) shall, as directed by any [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) designated to act on behalf of the patient, provide or verify the [contact lens prescription](/usc/15/7610.md?p=3) by electronic or other means.
- (b) **Limitations—** A [prescriber](/usc/15/7610.md?p=2) may not—
  - (1) require purchase of contact lenses from the [prescriber](/usc/15/7610.md?p=2) or from another [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) as a condition of providing a copy of a prescription under subsection [(a)(1)](#a-1) or [(a)(2)](#a-2) or verification of a prescription under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2);
  - (2) require payment in addition to, or as part of, the fee for an eye examination, fitting, and evaluation as a condition of providing a copy of a prescription under subsection [(a)(1)](#a-1) or [(a)(2)](#a-2) or verification of a prescription under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2); or
  - (3) require the patient to sign a waiver or release as a condition of verifying or releasing a prescription.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–164, § 2, Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2024.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 108–164, § 12, Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2028, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as a note below] shall take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 6, 2003].”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 108–164, § 1, Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2024, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as a note above] may be cited as the ‘Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act’.”