Reuters was among those reporting on the latest recommendation to put more Americans on statins to lower cholesterol. The story states: "The number of U.S. adults on cholesterol-lowering medication could rise by one-quarter to one-half if doctors were to routinely scan adults' arteries for plaque buildup, a study suggests." The study was by a task force called SHAPE.
But Reuters importantly concludes the story by pointing out that authors of an editorial accompanying the study in the Archives of Internal Medicine "question where the task force's funding came from, and whether "conflicts of interest might bias the authors' judgment."
The recommendations provide "food for thought," the editorialists write. "But as a guideline for clinical use, SHAPE does not shape up."
That won't stop drug companies from disease-mongering. This ad would have us worried every second about the plaque that might be building in our arteries - silent, stealthy, sinister. Just like drug ads - trying to increase market share and instill fear into the worried well.
The reason AZ is marketing Crestor (rosuvastatin) this way is that they have an approved indication for prevention/treatment of atherosclerosis. Of note, AZ has an "educational" website on atherosclerosis:
http://www.usagainstathero.com/
In March, a clinical trial of Crestor vs. placebo was stopped early because there were significantly fewer cardiovascular events and deaths in the Crestor arm. I assume they will be seeking a new indication based on that study.
Marilyn Mann