Zetia and Vytorin no better than generic meds… only costs more

Zetia  has been marketed to physicians by drug reps ever since it came out. The fact that there does not appear to be any benefit to patients is a big blow to the drug industry.   I have always been a cynical person so this study  does not surprise me.   Unfortunately, I think this information will cause physicians to  less  likely  trust and believe what a  drug rep has to share with them. 

I know they are doing their job and providing information given to them by their company but credibility is seriously becoming an issue with not only me but with doctors all over the country.   I recently posted an article about drug companies spending twice a much on advertising than research… perhaps this is the problem, they sell a product with millions spent  on advertising but have not done their research as thoroughly as they should have.

An interesting quote in the article was:

 “In a study of 720 patients funded by the manufacturers, Vytorin — a combination of the drugs simvastatin and ezetemibe — reduced levels of LDLs, the so-called bad cholesterol, by about 29% more than simvastatin alone. But it did not reduce the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries — a key indicator of progression toward heart disease.”

If I did not know any better, this statement almost seems to contradict the cholesterol-> heart disease paradigm.  Other studies have shown benefits to reducing cholesterol, which is only one of many risk factors for heart disease. 

————— 

Study funded by firms that make the widely prescribed cholesterol blocker says it doesn’t help fight arterial plaque buildup