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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: cholesterol lowering drug

cholesterol lowering drug stories: 9 news summaries

Scientists Still Question Popular Drugs Zetia, Vytorin

Much-prescribed cholesterol medicines may not reduce risk of heart disease, death

Sep 2, 08 10:26 AM CDT
(Newser) - Some cholesterol medicines have shown no indication they actually work—but that hasn’t stopped doctors from heavily prescribing them, the New York Times reports. Short trials of Zetia and Vytorin, known generically as ezetimibe, showed no evidence they reduced risk of heart attack or cardiovascular disease, while tests raised... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Merck • drug safety • drug companies • cholesterol • cholesterol lowering drug • Vytorin • Zetia • Food and Drug Administration • Schering-Plough

More Kids Take Grown-up Drugs in Obesity Fight

Critics say it's a poor substitute for good diet and exercise

Jul 26, 08 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - Doctors are prescribing drugs to more and more children to treat conditions related to obesity, the New York Times reports. Data released by pharmacy plans show that medication for Type 2 diabetes has seen the biggest increase—151% from 2001 to last year. And this month, a pediatricians group... More »

MORE ABOUT:
health • childhood obesity • blood pressure • statins • data • prescription • cholesterol lowering drug • type 2 diabetes • medication • high blood pressure

Docs Push Cholesterol Tests for Kids

New rules advise testing as young as 2, treating with statins at 8

Jul 7, 08 6:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - With 30% of US children overweight, pediatricians are now recommending cholesterol screenings for kids as young as 2, and the use of cholesterol-fighting drugs in youngsters 8 and up, in order to stave off diabetes and early heart attacks. Some 30%-60% of children with high cholesterol aren’t being treated,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
obesity • childhood obesity • children • cholesterol • statins • pediatrics • overweight • cholesterol lowering drug • American Academy of Pediatrics

Deal Delays Generic Lipitor Until 2011

Pact with Indian drug maker stands to net billions for Pfizer

Jun 18, 08 5:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - Pfizer has struck a deal with an Indian generic drug maker to delay a cheaper version of Lipitor in the US until November 2011. The agreement limiting generic versions of the cholesterol-lowering drug will translate into billions more in profits for Pfizer, the New York Times reports. Lipitor, the world's... More »

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pharmaceutical companies • Pfizer • cholesterol lowering drug • Lipitor • pharmaceutical industry

Chinese Remedy Could Cut Cholesterol

Red yeast rice extract
is rich in active agent
in statin drugs

Jun 10, 08 12:54 PM CDT
(Newser) - A Chinese supplement could help lower cholesterol in patients unable to tolerate statin drugs, ABC News reports. Extract of red yeast rice, a form of fermented rice that has been used in China for many centuries in medicine and food, is naturally rich in the active ingredient in the drugs.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
heart disease • cholesterol • statins • cholesterol lowering drug • Chinese medicine

Doc: Merck Fudged Minutes of Meeting

Vytorin probe challeges firm's account of delay in trial results

Apr 12, 08 9:33 AM CDT
(Newser) - Merck's "minutes" of a meeting of heart doctors discussing cholesterol drug Vytorin were created a month after the meeting and distorted the viewpoints of the experts, one panel member changes. The drug company submitted the document to congressional investigators probing its two-year delay in releasing a report saying the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Merck • pharmaceutical companies • drug companies • cholesterol lowering drug • clinical trials • Vytorin • Schering-Plough

Firms Hid Bad News on
Heart Drugs 2 Years: Doc

Merck and Schering-Plough delayed trial results on Vytorin, Zetia

Apr 1, 08 10:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - A scientist hired by two drug companies to conduct trials of cholesterol-lowering drugs accused the firms of deliberately delaying release of the results, the New York Times reports. The results for the Vytorin and Zetia trials—which showed the drugs don't work to reduce plaque in arteries—were not released... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Merck • drug companies • cholesterol • cholesterol lowering drug • clinical trials • Vytorin • Zetia • Schering-Plough

2 Top Cholesterol Drugs, Vytorin and Zetia, Don't Work

Cardiologists urge prescribing statins over Vytorin, Zetia

Mar 31, 08 3:55 AM CDT
(Newser) - Two top-selling cholesterol drugs  proved in a recent study to be largely ineffective in slowing the clogging of arteries, a panel of cardiologists said yesterday. Doctors should only prescribe Vytorin and Zetia if other medications don't work, and should rely instead on statins such as Lipitor and Zocor, they said.... More »

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cardiovascular disease • Merck • cholesterol • heart attack • cholesterol lowering drug • clinical trials • Vytorin • Zetia • American College of Cardiology • Schering-Plough

FDA May Ease Rx Drug Sales

Agency considers 'behind-the-counter' drug sales by pharmacists

Oct 4, 07 5:55 AM CDT
(Newser) - The federal Food and Drug Administration may allow more drugs to be sold by pharmacists without a prescription if they are kept behind the counter off display shelves. The FDA  announced a hearing next month to explore the "public health benefit of drugs being available without a prescription but... More »

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FDA • Plan B • prescription • Federal Register • Mevacor • behind the counter • over the counter • Zocor • cholesterol lowering drug

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