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Rafael Olivé Leite's avatar

Excelent!

In a few years, rosuvastatin and atorvastatin patents will expire (is it the better word?) then AHA will suddenly realize the drugs were not so effective

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David Newman's avatar

Interestingly the patents for the major statin meds have expired. I agree the AHA will have a rude awakening, but currently the Lipid Hypothesis remains profitable. The PCSK-9 class of drugs, for instance, cost $15K per year and there are no generics or 'biosimilars'. But of course soon there will be, and when the next new-fangled class of pricey cardiac drugs comes along (apo-this, MAB-that, yadayada) the prophecies of Shannon and Rafael will surely be fulfilled.

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Shannon Brownlee's avatar

One day doctors will look back on this era and mock the belief in statins—just as we now mock the belief in blood letting. Hmm, funny thing, they’re both beliefs. Only this one often has money behind it.

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