MAJOR MEDIA HYPE ANOTHER PHARMA FUNDED STUDY OF STATINS

Progressive Review - The Washington Post, running a front page study supporting the use of statins by healthy people, took 24 paragraphs to reveal that the study was funded by Asta Zeneca, which makes Crestor. The Post cited a researchers claim that "the company had no influence over the analysis" even thouhgh "he and his hospital receive royalties from the high-sensitivity CRP, or HSCRP, test, adding that "other researchers said that was no reason to doubt the findings."

If the Post had covered auto safety this way it would have happily accepted a report funded by GM that seat belts weren't really necessary. And, of course, there was no mention of reports of muscle deterioration and memory loss from use of statins or of natural alternatives include red yeast rice. Maybe the editors just forgot. The New York Times story was just as bad.

Here's one important thing to remember about all medical research. Since 1850, the life expectancy of a white male has increased 37 years and 41 years for a white female, but over half that increase is the result of higher survival rates of those under 30. By the time you reach 70, all the money and effort we have spent on medicine has improved life expectancy by four years. Four white males over 60, life expectancy has gone up five years. Yet a major part of pharma marketing is directed to this audience.