Could Be Major Medical Disaster Because Statin Drugs To Be Sold Over-The-Counter

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http://www.redflagsweekly.com/kendrick/2004_june17.html

 

 

We Are Sleep-Walking Into What Could Become A Major Medical Disaster Because

Statin Drugs Will Soon Be Sold Over-The-Counter

 

By RFD Columnist Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

(email - malcolm)

 

Holoprosencephaly (defective septum separating lateral cerebral ventricles,

with cerebral dysfunction), atrial septal defect, aortic hypoplasia, death at

one month of age.

 

Aqueductal stenosis with hydrocephalus, concurrent limb deficiency

 

Cerivothoracic-to-lumbar neural-tube defect, myelocele, duplication of spinal

cord, cerbellar hernation with hydrocephalus; apparent agenesis of palate

 

Spina bifida, right-arm abnormality

 

Left leg: femur 16% shorter than right side; foot: aplasia of metatarsals and

phalanges 3,4 and 5; additional VACTERL (vertebral, anal, cardiac, tracheal,

esophageal, renal and limb defects): left renal dysplasia, reversed laterality

of aorta, disorganized lumbosacral vertebra, single umbilical artery; additional

findings: clitoral hypertrophy, vaginal and uterine agenesis.

 

It always amazes me that some things seem to strike terror into the hearts of

mankind whilst other, much more dangerous things, are accepted with a shrug of

the shoulders. As my son has taken to saying ‘Yeh, whatever.’

 

Around the world, for example, car crashes wipe out thousands of people each and

every day, yet few people worry about getting into a car. On the other hand, one

plane comes down; killing a couple of hundred, and it hits the front page of the

newspapers around the world. And we are all nervous about getting into planes –

especially the landing bit.

 

The things that frighten us, it seems, bear absolutely no relationship to the

level of risk that they represent.

 

Looking at a medical example of irrational fear, the world still reels in terror

at the word “thalidomide.” However, it turns out that this drug provides huge

benefits in the treatment of myeloma – who would ever have thought? Yet, it is

almost impossible to prescribe thalidomide to many who need it, due to extremely

strict controls on its use. Which is completely mad, because it only has one

major side effect, which is to cause birth abnormalities in pregnant women.

 

So, why is it so difficult to prescribe it to a seventy-year-old man? Because it

is thalidomide, and thalidomide is scary.

 

On the other hand, in the UK we are going to allow statins to be made available

over the counter and - hey, guess what? If you are a woman, and you get pregnant

whilst on statins there is a massive risk of severe, horrible birth defects.

Worse defects than were ever caused by thalidomide.

 

At least thalidomide didn’t affect the brain, causing ‘defective septum

separating lateral cerebral ventricles’, or ‘duplication of the spinal cord.’

Duplication of the spinal cord!

 

We are sleep-walking into what could be a major medical disaster. Most people,

and most doctors, are unaware – or don’t seem to care – that statins should

never ever be taken by a women of child-bearing age. The risk, it would seem, is

greater than that posed by thalidomide, and no-one seems to be the least bit

bothered. ‘Yeh, whatever.’

 

Yet, when statins go OTC it is absolutely certain that women of childbearing age

will take them, knowing nothing of this risk. It is equally certain that a

number of these women will become pregnant, and many of these pregnancies will

result in horribly deformed children.

 

How can this possibly be allowed to happen? I can only suppose that it is

because everyone believes statins to be utterly safe and cuddly. ‘Statins, why

they can’t do any harm. They are safer than aspirin aren’t they?’

 

Left arm: aplasia of radius and thumb, shortened ulna; additional VACTERL

(vertebral, anal, cardiac, tracheal, esophageal, renal and limb defects): left

arthrogryposis, thoracic scoliosis, fusion of ribs on left, butterfly vertebra

in thoracic and lumbar region, esophageal stricture, anal atresia, renal

dysplasia; additional findings: hemihypertrophy of entire left side,

craniofacial anomalies (including asymmetric ears, ptosis of eyelids, high

arched palate), torticollis.

 

I am quite certain that many of you won’t know what some of these defects

actually are; neither do I. Arthrogryposis….. isn’t that the fabled winged beast

in Harry Potter?

 

But these defects shouldn’t exactly come as a surprise. Cholesterol is essential

for the development of neural tissue, so we should expect to find that if the

mother is taking a drug that inhibits cholesterol synthesis at a time when the

fetus is developing – horrible developmental abnormalities will occur. Such as

failure of the brain to develop in the right way, or duplication of the spinal

cord.

 

For more complete details of the birth defects caused by statins consider

reading the New England Journal of Medicine, April 8, 2004: pages 1579 – 1582.

It’s a letter by Robin J Edison and Maximilian Muenke.