---
type: "LegalText"
title: "15 U.S.C. § 7601"
description: "Availability of contact lens prescriptions to patients"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
chapter_number: "102"
chapter_name: "FAIRNESS TO CONTACT LENS CONSUMERS"
section: "7601"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 7601"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc15@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s7601"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-15/usc15.xml"
source_hash: "d2d7966222a13f78ef9702e77f1a58394e336fb983bbe09856aed6f9d2a6a8e8"
raw_snapshot_hash: "6982338d990ef19d6b52bff6825089bdd6d0ee1233d9382673faf533decd5059"
text_hash: "ea81c3fdfd9aad35b6f96d85b48c02d4552ad513ee9c31fafb78d5121a29306d"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 15 U.S.C. § 7601 - Availability of contact lens prescriptions to patients

## Text

(a) In general When a prescriber completes a contact lens fitting, the prescriber—

(1) whether or not requested by the patient, shall provide to the patient a copy of the contact lens prescription; and

(2) shall, as directed by any person designated to act on behalf of the patient, provide or verify the contact lens prescription by electronic or other means.

(b) Limitations A prescriber may not—

(1) require purchase of contact lenses from the prescriber or from another person as a condition of providing a copy of a prescription under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) or verification of a prescription under subsection (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) or (a)(2) or verification of a prescription under subsection (a)(2); or

(3) require the patient to sign a waiver or release as a condition of verifying or releasing a prescription.

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

## Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DatePub. 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 TitlePub. 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’.”