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Statin Drugs

Recently The Times ran a lead story (16.11.05) concerning statin drugs called "The little lifesaver". Unfortunately the article was simply a double page advertisement promoting statin drugs rather than a neutral examination of the topic. The push for putting more people onto statins comes from various institutions including The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) who recommended nearly tripling the number of people in England prescribed statins - from 1.8 million to 5.1 million. This prompted me to get on my soap box (again) and write a letter to The Times, and make this month's theme cholesterol. 


Sir, 
I am deeply concerned by Nigel Hawkes' recent article promoting statin drugs ("Statin Drugs - The little Lifesaver", 16.11.05) and feel it sends the wrong message to the public. 

There is by no means consensus amongst health professionals that the use of statin drugs is safe or that they are the "true wonders" Mr. Hawkes suggests.

Granted, there are numerous studies that ostensibly support the use of statin drugs, but a closer examination reveals these studies were neither independent nor unbiased. There is always a method of presenting research in order to promote a particular cause. 

There is, however, a wealth of evidence that contradicts Mr. Hawkes' comments and, according to the article "Dangers of Statin Drugs: What You Haven't Been Told About Popular Cholesterol-Lowering Medicines" (www.westonaprice.org) the majority of statin trials to date have revealed little to no benefit - in fact, the potential for great harm - from taking statin drugs.

Despite such uncertainty surrounding these new "wonder drugs", statins are currently the world's top-selling medicines with annual sales of more than US $19 billion. 

So, whilst any health-benefits are debatable, a market of that size means that the suggestions of some harmful side-effects are even more worrying. 

One trial, known as CARE, resulted in the breast cancer rates of those taking a statin increasing by 1500 percent. 
Similarly, the research of the International Network of Cholesterol Sceptics (THINCS-www.thincs.org) - a group of leading scientists and physicians - shows that statins can increase the risk of not only muscle-wasting but, based on evidence from simvastatin trials, that cancer is also a probable long-term side-effect of prolonged statin intake. 
The research goes on to conclude that "the number of individuals who benefited from treatment did not exceed 5.4%" and that "it is already known that statins may induce fatal rhabdomyolysis, cardiac insufficiency, peripheral polyneuropathy, and mental disturbances. A much more momentous issue is that all statins have proven carcinogenic in laboratory animals using blood concentrations that approximated those achieved in clinical practice." 

Such findings appear not to concern Mr. Hawkes however, who goes on to state that statins are "blessed by almost every specialist in heart disease." This is simply not true. So what of the side-effects Mr. Hawkes? The general public deserves to know all the facts, not only those that mask a hidden agenda.

Your 3d Coach

Craig Burton