Restasis ad (2009)

Restasis ad, featuring Dr. Alison Tendler, an ophthalmologist (cataract surgeon practicing in South Dakota) who is compensated for endorsing Allergan's Restasis.

Now before you whine that it's only a 60-second TV spot depicting a doctor/patient encounter, let me say, uh, I know (you DO remember who EyeTV'ed and uploaded it to YouTube, right)?

But if for nothing else, let's use this ad as a "teachable moment" (in the words of BO) to serve as an example of how NOT to conduct a case history. Okie?

First off: if the patient says they're using a drop "several times a day", ya' might want to ask a follow-up question to gain some clarity, e.g.. "Is that two times a day, two times an hour?". Seriously, some people think twice a day IS several times a day.

(And If their response is "2x per day", well sorry, but that's fighting a forest fire with a squirt gun if you're talking treating dry eyes with artificial tears!)

The same goes for the patient's response to, "for how long?" (patient: "quite sometime"). So what exactly does THAT mean? Are we talking months? Years? Minutes? Come on, throw me a bone here!

And to the question, "Have you tried other drops?", the patient says, "All kinds...."

My God, does this patient work for the CIA, where the ability to keep a secret is advantageous ? Or is she a lawyer, where intentional obfuscation is considered a desirable skill? She's a slippery eel, isn't she?

My Dear colleagues, you NEED to follow up with a simple question, even if only, "What drops"? For without knowing what hasn't worked in the past, you're leaving valuable clinical information on the table (and we've all heard the old saying, "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it in Summer School", etc).

Notice how by only 11 seconds into the patient encounter, Dr. Tendler has heard enough to make a conclusive diagnosis: she's already writing a script for Restasis (although she earns extra points by taking an extra 300 ms to UNDERLINE the word Restasis, as if to make sure the pharmacist couldn't miss it (like if it WEREN'T underlined)).

This MUST be a new World Record for quickest time between chief complaint and prescribing, all done without a need to even examine the patient's eyes!

Hint: if you've already started writing the Rx and the patient has to ask, "But Doctor, what do I have"?, that's generally NOT a good sign! You may have forgotten to let the patient in on their treatment plan!

Kind of makes you wonder if the patient had a clue as to WHY she was using "all kinds" of drops for the past "quite sometime", too? Call me crazy, but I find patients tend to do better when they understand WHAT problem they have, and actually 'buy in' on the treatment approach after obtaining a basic understanding of their condition. But hey, that's just ME.

And Dr. Tendler is very lucky if at that point the patient doesn't respond with, "But Doctor, I already tried Restasis, and it didn't work!' (remember the recommendation to get a complete list of meds and therapies that have been attempted, but failed?).

In Dr. Tendler's defense, in the category of honest disclosure she does earn bonus points by mentioning that the patient will be using those 'other drops' LESS, and not eliminating them entirely. In other words, very few patients can rely solely on Restatis 2x per day to alleviate their dryness problems; they'll STILL need to use some other drop, like artificial tears.

Oh, there's just so much more meat on dem' bones, and I could go on for days, e.g. Dr. Tendler's apparent belief that HIPAA privacy laws apply only to her more unattractive colleagues (is she having discussions in the hallway?), or the mysterious lack of her OWN blink reflex (which might help explain her OWN dry eyes? Too much cough syrup? Botox? Mood stabilizers?). I won't mention her reliance on words that most patients don't understand (chronic, inflammation, etc)

I suspect Allergan has genetically-engineered the perfect pitch-person, a robo-doc modeled after the real Dr. Tendler? She cannot be for real....

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Restasis
• Allergan
• Dr. Tendler
• ultimate
• robodoc
• animatron
• fantasy
• dry eye
• $$$
• fair
• use
• critique
• commentary
• topical
• cyclosporine
• botox?
• cough
• syrup?
• mood
• stabilizers?

[EHManjo]

Does this product actually work?- my dad has chronic dry eyes and told me to look into this for him. Has anyone ACTUALLY used this product- rather than bashing it down with irrelevant comments??

[AdamSlowHandSmith]

@EHManjo I've prescribed Restasis for patients as part of our dry eye treatment protocol, and my clinical experience is that Restasis can be a miracle for those patients for whom it works, but unfortunately that outcome is not guaranteed for EVERY patient. In other words, it works well for those who it works, but not every patient finds it helpful or worth it. The problem is the results are NOT immediate, so it can take months for the patient to note any benefit. There are no "magic bullets".

[dell4bq]

if she uses this twice a day every day, and if you use it like that "You may need to use those other eye drops less", then why won't you eventually be able to wean yourself off of RESTASIS? The hogwash that the eye will start producing more of it's own natural tears would then mean Restasis did it's job and won't need to be taken again. Not this BS of take it 2x a day for the rest of your life crap.

[AdamSlowHandSmith]

@dell4bq Restasis is not a cure for dry eye; no one says it was. See the other videos I've posted, where I discuss the point about how the need for continued (although reduced) use of drops doesn't make much sense for some patients.

[dell4bq]

I hate the one commercial (I can't find it on youtube) where she is going on about the side effects, but she is looking in wonderment into her pateints eyes. I mean come on who the hell does this, especially not a Dr. I know it;s just a commercial but they need to post that disclaimer, this actor is NOT a real Dr.

[AdamSlowHandSmith]

@dell4bq If you had checked out other videos on this topic (or read the other comments), you'd know that she IS a real doctor (Alison Tendler, MD) who practices in S. Dakota, I think.

[cremington11]

I heard her eyes aren't the only thing that is dry

[VinmanMJ23]

@dell4bq True, but that Restasis chick is hot and I'm buying whatever she is selling.

[laststupidattempt]

I don't know what it is about the way she talks, BUT IT DRIVES ME NUTS. I always change the channel. Better than throwing something through the screen.

[urgeone]

@AdamSlowHandSmith do you use Restasis doctor? Can you see the light now?

[swimmerB0B]

you've had too much chronic, dry eye!

[swimmerB0B]

"we don't know how this stuff works, and it could burn your eyes. but, hey ask your doctor for some, anyway"

[highonbetter]

@dell4bq im not a Dr .but i do know a thing about dry eyes. regular visine is pure crap.like most products out there.nothing should be used long term.wouldnt give visine to my Dog.but there are great products out there..sysane is good. i cant produce tears in 1 eye.its hell when you have bad eyes.but visine isnt the cure

[tooniverse]

CHRONIC DRY EYYYYE....... CHRONIC DRY EYYYE......... CHRONIC DRY EYYYYE......

[EHManjo]

@AdamSlowHandSmith Does it provide help to surgery-induced dry eyes? I feel if a nerve or something impt is severed inducing real tears may be impossible..

[yagerjl]

at 0:44 I hate how she thinks shes hot shit and the new savior of the fucking planet because she uses the restasis. Look at her face!