The latest pro-drug headlines touts statin drugs for diabetics. (Forum, June 13) A close look reveals again how drug company funded studies mislead with statistics. The article claims a one third lowering of risk for heart attack, stroke or the need for angioplasty or bypass surgery. (Rounded up from one fourth based on scientists' speculation about inaccuracies in the sampling.)
To report the study more accurately, 80 percent in the drug group had no heart-related events, while 75 percent in the non-drug group had no events. That's an improvement of less than 7 percent. (About one fifteenth.) In real numbers, 100 people need to take these drugs for five to see any heart-related benefit. Now subtract from those five everyone who has serious side effects, including death. (Many studies of statin drugs have shown that death from all causes is higher among the drug group. But this, of course, is not included in the companies' press releases.) The inevitable conclusion is that statin drugs do very little to improve one's overall well-being.
Meanwhile, prescription drugs lead the way in the healthcare cost crisis, and the side-effects leave us needing more care.
We won't find good health in a pill.
Rex Wood
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Moorhead
