Can you get a refund?
It's bad news for the makers of the oft-prescribed Vytorin, a drug designed to lower cholesterol. You probably heard by now that a study found there's no benefit to anyone who's prescribed it.
Prescriptions for Vytorin, which is a mix of Zetia and Zocor, have been handed out left and right ever since it first appeared on the market in 2004. Initially, Vytorin promised to reduce plaque buildup in the arteries. Considered by many mainstream doctors to be a front-line therapy for reducing cholesterol, an estimated 18 million prescriptions were written for it in 2006 alone.
And now we're left asking, "Why?" just as lawmakers are asking, "What gives?" There are members of Congress demanding to know if data was finagled so as to cast a more positive light on initial results.
Following in the footsteps of Merck's infamous nightmare Vioxx comes Vytorin. On the heels of these scandals, it looks to me like this company is establishing itself as a purveyor of rip-offs, not medicine.
And a lot of government reps aren't too happy, especially when their coffers have been scraped to pay out for Medicaid and Medicare are getting hit with the bills and their constituents are no better off.
So what has Congress up in arms?
Well, this pivotal study enlisted 720 patients who have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. Of that group, half received Vytorin and the other half received Zocor.
When the study ended two years later, those on Vytorin showed a slight increase in plaque buildup.
That's certainly not a ringing endorsement promoted to do just the opposite!
And it's fishy that results were expected out in early 2006 at the study's completion—but you're just now hearing about them because this drug company dragged its feet in releasing the inevitable.
Incredibly, it's still being suggested that Vytorin be used as the drug of last resort for those who can't take statins. For what earthly purpose, I cannot imagine. It doesn't work, but let's go ahead and toss it in there just for something to do.
Keep in mind, not only does this drug plain not work, it also comes with a list of possible side effects ranging from headaches, colds and flu, to increased liver enzymes and trouble breathing—not to mention the increase in plaque we saw in this study.
The failure of this cholesterol-lowering drug to actually confer any meaningful benefit isn't surprising. Simply lowering cholesterol in most people—without, for example, reducing inflammation—boils down to a meaningless numbers game.
If you're on this drug, call your doctor today about getting off it. And if he tells you the data isn't all in yet, tell him you've seen enough.
