This forceful article was written by Marcia Angell, a lecturer in social medicine at the Harvard medical School and also a former editor-in-chief of The NEJM.
She brings up 2 important points. Firstly, the people who formulated the new statin guidelines at the ACC and AHA are heavily dependant on financing from drug companies. This conflict of interest is unhealthy and detrimental to patient welfare, as exemplified by the Vioxx case.
Secondly, and equally compelling as the first point, is that the new guidelines target all risk factors, with the implication that statin treatment might be indicated even in patients with a normal cholesterol level. As Marcia says, it is nonsensical to prescribe a drug designed to lower cholesterol levels when it is normal.
She ends by saying that the only beneficiary from this sad state of affairs is the pharma industry. How true.
The Bottom Line With Medical Studies? Often the Drug Companies' - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com
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