Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Back in the News
Cholesterol-lowering drugs are back in the news. One new report,
from the US Centers for Disease Control, indicates that for the first time
in nearly 50 years the average cholesterol level for American adults is in
the “ideal range.” A survey conducted in 1960 indicated that the average
total cholesterol reading for adults in the US was 220. Ideal is considered
to be 200 or below. According to reports in the media, the key reason for
this latest development is the growing use of cholesterol-lowering
medicines.
The second report has to do with a Food & Drug Administration
(FDA) Committee, which recently rejected a bid by the maker of Mevacor
to provide a low-dose formula for use without a prescription. The FDA
advisory committee indicated that they were not convinced that consumers
would make informed decisions about how to safety and effectively
take the low-dose version. The committee felt that if the drug no
longer required a prescription, many people who did not need the drug
would start taking it. In contrast, others who needed higher doses might
not get the care they needed if they did not contact their doctor’s office.