News Producer Caron Kemp called me on Tuesday, and after discussing my work she asked if I would guest on This Morning on Friday, to talk about laser eye surgery
BUT - then I discovered that Ruth Langsford was host (with Eamonn Holmes), and surgeon Dan Reinstein the other guest!
And as most of you know I’ve publicly criticised both, (deservedly), so couldn’t see either of them wanting to risk sitting next to me for fear of what I might say.
Caron followed up our conversation with this message re Dan Reinstein, '
Thanks Sasha - do you know this man? What are your thoughts? I have to be clear that this is a health item and not a debate so we do need to tread carefully.’
I replied, '
Totally understood Caron - this appearance is too important to me to jeopardise!
Any rules you want to make I will abide by - no names, no personal criticism. I promise I will tread VERY carefully, and stick to talking about the lack of regulation (my priority), the lack of fully informed consent, with very real risks underplayed and often not explained to ppl pre surgery - esp when staff are working on commissions!
My work involves far more than wearing a T shirt and protesting, it is about helping damaged Px and getting the message out to those considering surgery that they should look beyond the glossy advertising, and ’This Morning’ will open the floodgates to show other chat shows that they can invite me on without worrying that I’ll say things I shouldn’t!
Dan Reinstein operated on Philip Schofield and Carol Vorderman, and a number of other celebs. He is a showman and loves media attention - ie free publicity.
He’s one of the very few high profile consultants that I haven’t met in person, but I have no problem sitting next to him, and give you my word that I will not enter debate with him. I will simply state my own experience of laser eye surgery, and convey my message to viewers that they need to look at the real risks, and appreciate that refractive surgery is not something to be done in your lunch hour. It’s a decision that should not be taken as lightly as changing your hairstyle.
A bad haircut will grow out - damaged eyes are for life.'
Early yesterday morning, Suzanne called me for in depth details about my own surgery, and my work… and at the end of a very lengthy call, I agreed that I would talk only about this, and my campaign for regulation, that I wouldn't mention any names (clinics/surgeons). She told me she'd check with the producer that she had all they needed, and would also talk with their lawyers in case there were any more issues to cover, and she'd call me later to arrange the car to collect me on Friday.
So far so good, and at this point I allowed myself to think there was a slim chance this would happen after all.
But at 6.18 pm, a call from David, ‘
the producer has decided to go with another case study’!
My response was curt, I hung up on him, and emailed Caron Kemp...
"
Hi Caron
I was called late this afternoon to be told, ‘the producer has gone with another case study’!
Devastated, but not the least bit surprised, as it happens every time.
And for the record, to date, there has been no balanced cover of refractive surgery, only positive advertorials: no serious interviews with damaged patients, and no mention of the many thousands turning to the NHS when their 12 months aftercare with private providers runs out.
After filming a detailed interview for BBC BBC Rip Off Britain in 2017, just before it was broadcast they told me they’d run out of space, so no mention of me or my campaign, while they used two of the weakest case studies I provided to ‘balance’ what was no more than another advertorial, heavily weighted in the industry’s favour.
Since late 2014, Optical Express have paid Luther Pendragon (Crisis management PR) £5,000 per month to discredit me and keep my campaign out of the press/media. But with no mention of OE they had no right of reply, so I hoped This Morning would break the pattern.
I'd very much appreciate the reason I was dropped from the programme, because I am this country’s lay expert on the refractive industry, and no-one knows as much as I do. Which is of course why I’m repeatedly silenced. (And I would not be surprised if Ruth or Reinstein objected to my participation if they were informed in advance).
The sad thing is that I truly had intended to keep to my word and stick to the script, because This Morning would have opened the floodgates for more appearances to advertise my campaign and highlight the dangers of the unregulated refractive surgery industry.
However, as that’s now not going to happen, let me answer the questions you asked yesterday, 'do you know this man? What are your thoughts?'
Ask Reinstein about his own damaged patients, some my clients, about Anneka Rice (her eyes ruined and allegedly paid off to keep quiet) - and importantly, if he claims to support regulation, ask him what he’s done to support my eight years of campaigning? Zilch!
In fact, Reinstein was paid to put his name to the FODO standards, conceived and funded by Optical Express, who refuse to accept the (unenforceable) RCOphth standards. See P26: Expert panel www.fodo.com/guidance/refractive-eye-surgery/
NB: FODO standards are not recognised by any organisation, incl GMC/RCOphth/CQC/GOC, as all have confirmed to me in writing.
Having colluded with Optical Express, he now hypocritically criticises them on his site: www.londonvisionclinic.com/is-the-laser-...-industry-regulated/
Reinstein also uses celebrity endorsement, contrary to the RCOphth guidelines. See P2, 1.2: www.rcophth.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/201...keting-Standards.pdf
He claims this is a myth, ‘You have to wait until your prescription’s stable’!
It is widely acknowledge by the industry that an unstable prescription is a contraindicator to surgery, while Dan has contradicted his own advertising, 'A fluctuating contact lenses or glasses prescription is an indication that you may not be ready for Laser Eye Surgery.'
www.londonvisionclinic.com/3-reasons-las...ight-not-be-for-you/
So much more I could tell you about this man, known to his peers as the Reinstein Cowboy, with his spurious use of ‘Professor’ highly criticised.
However, I was prepared to avoid all of these issues for the chance to be heard, but yet again I have been silenced, while Reinstein will convince ppl that your 'case study’ is rare (whoever they are), encouraging thousands more to risk their eyesight as he promotes his own cash cow.
I look forward to your response before I publish the details of yet another cancelled TV appearance."
When Caron saw my tweet this morning, she called me almost immediately - having the cheek to ask me how I was, and that she didn’t know what had happened.
But when I asked her to be honest and tell me the reason I'd been dropped, she claimed it wasn’t confirmed that I was appearing, that she had said she'd call me today because she was off work yesterday.
Oh please! I pointed out that her colleague Suzanne had called me yesterday, and what she’d said, that she would be calling back to arrange a car to collect me on Friday. I said a lot more - amazingly managing not to swear - and hung up on her too.
I had to bite my tongue when both Caron and Suzanne told me they needed to make sure it was a balanced piece, because there has been ZERO balance when Reinstein has appeared time and time again, on ITV and BBC, promoting laser eye surgery, with some of the presenters even getting free surgery from him.
I hope as many of you as possible will watch tomorrow, and then send in your complaints to ITV, because I guarantee there'll be no mention of My Beautiful Eyes Campaign for government regulation, or of the countless copy/paste letters from health ministers denying there's a problem, or of the many thousands of people who've come to me for help over the last eight years - and keep on coming - and the increasing cost to the NHS.
It's also a guarantee that Dr Reinstein will make the segment yet another advertorial for laser eye surgery!