| Cholesterol-Drug Scam Is Now Becoming | | | | any harm,” at least sales of the worthless |
| Mainstream | | | | drug improve the corporate bottom line (of |
| A few years ago, I told you that the cholesterol | | | | course, statins harm). |
| drug scam would dwarf the Vioxx scandal. Just as | | | | But the real story is the hot debate on treating |
| those in the ivory towers of medicine have tried | | | | cholesterol at all with chemicals. CBS News and |
| to gloss over the Vioxx mess, they’ve kept | | | | BusinessWeek are discussing whether statins and |
| the truth about statins hidden from the public. | | | | cholesterol are over-hyped. BusinessWeek points |
| Instead of telling us about the problems, they | | | | out that the touted 36% reduction in heart-attack |
| pushed the drugs like candy. But orthodox | | | | risk is a relative number. |
| medicine has just exposed its Achilles heel. Thanks | | | | The absolute risk is reduced by 1%, from 3 in |
| to a new study, its whole premise of treatment | | | | 100 to 2 in 100. And while benefits are |
| of symptoms and lab numbers is now beginning | | | | overstated, risks are understated. BusinessWeek |
| to crumble. Two years ago, researchers finished a | | | | states that side effects occur in 10-15% of those |
| study called “Enhance.” | | | | who take the drugs. Not the mere 2-3% claimed |
| It compared a drug made of two powerful | | | | by statin-drug advocates. |
| cholesterol reducers (Vytorin) to each of its | | | | If we were to look at the all-cause morbidity and |
| separate components (ezetimibe and simvistatin). | | | | mortality of conventional medical therapies, I |
| The combination drug did lower LDL cholesterol | | | | would dare say that 90%+ of everything Pharma |
| (considered the “bad” guy) more that | | | | passes through their physicians will have the same |
| either one of the components did alone. But | | | | result — no net benefit to life. It’s time |
| that’s where the good news ended. | | | | that the American people awaken to this. |
| Vytorin didn’t reduce arterial plaque – as | | | | Until they do, you will remain hopelessly |
| it’s supposed to do. In fact, patients on | | | | “farmed” by Big Pharma. You will pay |
| Vytorin saw their plaque grow faster than it did | | | | more, get less, and ill will a body that cannot heal. |
| with the statin alone. However, this was not | | | | The conventional political solution is to throw more |
| considered statistically significant. But here’s | | | | fuel (money) on the fire (such as a national health |
| where the scandal gets much worse. Remember, | | | | insurance mandate). Remember, this study was |
| the researchers finished this study two years ago. | | | | withheld from the public for two years. It |
| The makers of Vytorin delayed revealing the | | | | hasn’t been published. |
| results! They had to be pushed by government | | | | It was just “presented” at a medical |
| officials. If the government had left them alone, | | | | conference this past March. Meanwhile, Big Pharma |
| you still wouldn’t have this information. The | | | | is still raking in untold millions on the worthless |
| reaction from the medical community has been | | | | concoction. If you want change in so-called |
| mixed. | | | | “health care” costs, demand your elected |
| Look at the divergence of comments: Dr. Steven | | | | officials refuse contributions from Big Pharma and |
| Nissen, chairman of cardiology at the Cleveland | | | | Big Chemical. |
| Clinic, called the results “shocking.” But at | | | | They should represent you instead. And when it |
| least “it didn’t show any harm,” | | | | comes to cholesterol, skip the statins, and go to |
| stated Dr. Paul D. Thompson, director of | | | | my website for solutions that are safer, less |
| cardiology at Hartford Hospital. | | | | costly, and more effective. These include |
| Yes, indeed, shocking to ignorant doctors who | | | | policosanol, guggul, niacin, red yeast rice, Seanol, |
| insist on treating lab numbers with no evidence | | | | and others. Don’t forget diet and lifestyle |
| that doing so improves bottom line health | | | | changes. These should always be first on your list. |
| outcomes. But as long as it “doesn’t do | | | | Ref: CBSNews.com, January 17, 2008. |