This month, 10-mg doses of the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin (Zocor) are expected to become available to the public in the United Kingdom without requiring a prescription. The UK government hopes making it easier for individuals to acquire a low-cost statin (expected to cost under $1 per day; higher-dose prescription statins cost about $4) will increase the drug's use and reduce cardiovascular mortality and morbidity.
The United Kingdom is the first nation to approve over-the-counter (OTC) statin availability. The decision follows a decade of positive clinical trial results showing efficacy of statins in treating lipid levels and associated cardiovascular disease (Lancet. 1994;344:1383-1389).
But the announcement has already come under attack in the United Kingdom by those concerned that such low doses of statins, while reducing cholesterol levels, have not been proven efficacious in reducing cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity. Critics argue that the government's decision is merely . . . [Full Text of this Article]
