Statin drugs such as Lipitor^®, Zocor^®, Mevacor^® and Pravachol^®, used to lower cholesterol, commenced over-the-counter sales in the U.K. recently, despite widespread concerns about their safety. As reported in a previous Health Report, Merck &Co., in conjunction with Johnson & Johnson, recently proposed over-the-counter sales of statins in the U.S. but the FDA Advisory Panel rejected the request.

Still, business analysts from Kline & Company predict that this rejection is just a temporary setback. “With the soaring rates of high cholesterol among the American public, there’s a very good chance that at least one of the many cholesterol drugs being marketed now will switch [to over-the-counter status] in the next few years,” said Kline spokesperson Laura Mahecha.

Dr. Julian Whitaker, a well-known cardiologist in the U.S., has run a broad campaign about the dangers of the statin class of drugs. In 2002, he petitioned the FDA to change the warning labels of statins to include the information that statins deplete co-enzyme Q10 levels in the blood, a deficiency that results in muscle damage and heart failure in many people worldwide. In November 2004, Dr. Whitaker filed a second petition with the FDA, notifying the agency of Health Canada’s insistence on the use of such a warning and renewing his demand that the FDA adopt such a warning.

Worldwide, there were 772 reports (1997 to 2000) of muscle damage from the statin class of drugs and 72 deaths, according to Dr. Whitaker’s second petition to the FDA.

SOURCE: http://www.nutriwonders.com/article-have-no-feat.shtml; http://www.theomnivore.com/Statin