36,605 Reports of Brain Dysfunction from Cholesterol-lowering Statin Drugs

Statins work by poisoning an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) which is needed to produce cholesterol, adrenal and sex hormones, memory proteins and maintain cell energy. The highest concentration of cholesterol in the body is found in the brain. There were 36,605 reports of brain dysfunction from the FDA Adverse Events Databases which included memory impairment, transient cases of global amnesia, confusion, paranoia, disorientation, depression, and dementia related to statin use. Remember, this number is thought to represent only 1-10% of the true number of adverse drug reactions.

Study: Cholesterol Drug Only 2% Better Results than Placebo

Why should a 2% cardiovascular risk reduction in a drug that has shown nothing before this be considered a success? And, keep in mind, that this risk reduction did not include the most meaningful risk reduction–death. This study found no difference in the most important endpoints: overall deaths, cardiovascular deaths, or coronary deaths. Why does my profession accept this mediocrity? Not only do they accept it, they embrace it. It is pathetic. Folks, we spend too much money on drugs that provide little, if any, benefit. In fact, we spend more on drugs than any country on the face of the earth and we lag behind every major Western country on every important health and disease indicator. This study should be the last nail in the coffin for Vytorin. It is a failed drug that has little usefulness. We would be better served to remove it from the marketplace.

Statin Scam: People with Higher Cholesterol Live Longer than People with Low Cholesterol

Here is a fact that has been known for quite a long time, but it is still news to many people: People with higher cholesterol levels live longer than people with lower cholesterol levels. The reason why this fact is not well-known in the general public is because it would put a huge dent into a $100 BILLION drug market for statin drugs - drugs that lower your cholesterol. With approximately one out of every 4 Americans over the age of 50 currently prescribed a statin drug, a drug with very serious side effects, this is certainly one issue you should investigate yourself.

1162 Lawsuits Filed Against Pfizer for Damages due to Lipitor

Lawsuits filed against Pfizer for their blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor reached 1162 cases filed in August. Almost all of theses cases have been filed since April, when a new study was released linking Type 2 diabetes in women with the popular statin drug. Attorneys filing claims for the victims have stated the cases could well reach 10,000. Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are a $100 billion a year industry. Lipitor is by far the most profitable drug in the history of mankind among all pharmaceutical products, let alone being the most profitable cholesterol drug before its patent expired at the end of 2011. Sales to date from this one particular cholesterol-lowering statin drug have exceeded $140 billion. Lipitor benefited from the change in marketing laws in 1997 that allowed pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. to advertise their products directly to consumers. Pfizer convinced an entire generation of Americans that they needed a pill to lower their cholesterol in order to prevent heart disease, in what will go down as one of the most brilliant and unethical marketing schemes of all time. After Lipitor’s patent expired at the end of 2011, the FDA issued its first warnings against statin drugs, which includes: liver injury, memory loss, diabetes, and muscle damage. Soon after issuing these warnings, the lawsuits started trickling in. Today, with more and more studies being published linking statin drug use to various side effects, those lawsuits have become a tidal wave, even though you are not likely to hear much about this in the mainstream media.

Study: Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs Increase Bell’s Palsy

A study published in 2014 in the international journal Drug Safety found a positive association between regular statin drug use and Bell's palsy, a neurologic disorder. This study confirms what Dr. Stephanie Seneff published back in 2009, showing how statin drugs used to lower cholesterol could be a main cause of Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases in old age.

Lawsuits Against Pfizer for Lipitor Could Reach 10,000

We reported last week here at Health Impact News that lawsuits filed against a manufacturer of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs had exceeded 1,000 claims just since April this year, primarily against Pfizer's Lipitor. Today, the mainstream media has finally picked up the story, as Reuter's ran a report widely distributed over several mainstream news sites. In the Reuters' story, Jessica Dye reports that U.S. women who say Lipitor gave them type-2 diabetes shot up from 56 to almost 1,000 court lawsuits in less than 5 months. Dye also interviewed H. Blair Hahn of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, the lead lawyer appointed to represent Lipitor plaintiffs in federal court. "We will ask a jury to decide what it's worth to take five years of someone's life," Hahn reportedly said. Hahn also stated that the 1,000 cases filed so far represent 4,000 women, and that the number of cases could ultimately reach 10,000 or more.

New Cholesterol Drug Approval to be Fast-tracked by FDA to Highest Bidder

Fresh off recent news that more than 1,000 people have filed lawsuits for damages due to cholesterol-lowering drugs since April this year, comes the remarkable story reported in the Wall Street Journal that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi SA are spending $67.5 million to purchase a voucher that will allow them to get the FDA to fast-track approval of a new class of cholesterol drugs. By purchasing this voucher, they hope to beat rival drug company Amgen, Inc. in being first to market with these new cholesterol-lowering drugs. Bloomberg Businessweek is reporting that this is a first-of-its-kind deal offered by the FDA to fast track a drug through the purchase of a voucher. However, the original voucher issued by the FDA was not even for a cholesterol lowering drug. It was originally issued to BioMarin Pharmaceutical under a 2012 law designed to reward companies for investing in drugs for rare childhood diseases. This law, which the FDA says was "intended to encourage the development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases," also allowed those awarded such vouchers to sell them to other drug companies for the development of other drugs. This has effectively created a type of legal "black market" where drug companies can sell these vouchers to the highest bidder, even though they were intended by the FDA to approve new drugs specifically for the "development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases." Since this apparently does not raise any ethical questions in the mainstream media, I will raise them here.

Doctor’s Warning: Cholesterol Drug Risks Being Ignored

Top Irish surgeon warns statins raise chances of cancer and Parkinson's in otherwise healthy people. Sherif Sultan, of University College Hospital in Galway, warned that statin use can increase the risk of diabetes, cataracts and male impotence. "They can also significantly increase the risk of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease in the elderly, along with a myriad of infectious diseases," he said.

Thousands Sue for Damages Against Cholesterol Drugs as Big Pharma Defends Billion Dollar Industry

The $100 billion dollar cholesterol-lowering statin drug industry is under attack, as thousands of Americans are filing lawsuits against the manufacturers cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Lipitor. Research continues to confirm just how dangerous these drugs are, with yet another study published recently linking increased statin drug use to type 2 diabetes. One in four Americans over the age of 45 are currently on statin drugs. In spite of the increased research linking these drugs to diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, liver damage, breast cancer, among many others, government-funded Big Pharma agencies continue to promote statin drugs and are attempting to get more Americans to take them. New guidelines put out by the American Heart Association earlier this year (2014) would more than double the number of Americans taking statin drugs. If we follow the pattern of Big Pharma when their products can no longer be supported in a free market due to lack of consumer confidence and demand, and massive litigation due to faulty products, they will probably seek some kind of government protection from these lawsuits. Such government protection will allow them to distribute their cholesterol drugs through government drug programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and the new Obamacare. With the baby boomer generation heading into their senior years, it is just too large of a market for them to give up without a fight. The logic they will use with politicians in Washington D.C. will be very similar to the logic currently used by the vaccine market: Americans are too stupid to know better, so we need laws to protect us and our products against litigation so we can continue to manufacture and distribute them to people who don't want them, because they don't realize how much they need our drugs. We are currently living in the Dark Ages when it comes to health freedom, as today's pharmaceutical companies are the biggest criminals in the marketplace, having reached settlements in criminal medical abuses that reach into the billions of dollars. Yet the government continues to not only recommend their products, but purchase and distribute them with YOUR tax dollars via government funded programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare. As a consumer, you must resist purchasing these toxic products, and fight against any kind of mandated "health program" that forces you to purchase or take their products. History will look back on these Dark Days of medical tyranny with horror. In the meantime, don't become a fatality and statistic to the cholesterol drug scam! If you are responsible for caring for any seniors, help them to not become a fatality or statistic as well, by being informed and taking a stand for your rights!

700 Lipitor and Diabetes Lawsuit Claims Filed Against Pfizer

Before its patent expired, Lipitor was the best-selling drug of all time. Lipitor, the drug that artificially lowers cholesterol, outsold almost all other drugs combined during the height of its run, before the patent ran out allowing generics to enter the market. The FDA did not issue warnings about the dangerous side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs until after Lipitor's patent expired. The information here comes from an attorney, as attorneys across the nation see the economic opportunities now to sue Pfizer for damage done to millions of peoples' health.

Time Magazine: We Were Wrong About Saturated Fats

Reversing over 50 years of negative press on the "dangers" of saturated fats, Time Magazine has finally admitted that the war on saturated fats was based on bad science and was wrong. Why this sudden change of heart, and can we expect other mainstream media sources to follow suit? Will the USDA dietary guidelines now finally change? Don't count on it. There is much more at stake here than just butter verses margarine. At stake is a multi-billion dollar statin drug industry to lower cholesterol. The cholesterol drug war rages on.

UK Doctors Speak out on Dangers of Increase in Cholesterol-lowering Statin Drug Use

Millions of people over the age of 50 risk harming their health if they follow new NHS guidance telling them to take statins, leading doctors have warned the Health Secretary. Proposals to advise 12 million people to take the drugs could have “worrying” consequences because the plans were borne out of an “overdependence” on studies funded by the pharmaceutical industry, they say. The group cites research, independent of the drug industry, showing that statins have been associated with a 48 per cent increase in the risk of diabetes in middle-aged women. Other potential side effects could include depression, fatigue and erectile dysfunction, they warn.

American Heart Association’s Outdated Dietary Guidelines are Hurting Americans’ Health

The American Heart Association’s woefully outdated dietary guidelines are hurting Americans’ health. Last December, we told you about the American Heart Association’s (AHA) new new cholesterol guidelines that would make 33 million healthy Americans dependent on statins. These are the most widely prescribed class of drugs in the world—drugs so dangerous that the FDA mandates their side effects be disclosed in labeling. The problem with AHA’s “logic?” Not only has this bad/good cholesterol dichotomy been solidly debunked by study after study—it was never proven in the first place. According to the Wall Street Journal, the notion that saturated fats and LDL clog our arteries came from a “derailment” of nutrition policy “by a mixture of personal ambition, bad science, politics, and bias.” This article takes a look at some of the other AHA dietary guidelines, accompanied by reasons why they actually are bad for your heart.

The Redemption of Cholesterol—How It Supports Your Health

Over the past 60 years, research has repeatedly demonstrated that there’s NO correlation between high cholesterol and plaque formation that leads to heart disease. Despite that, the saturated fat/cholesterol myth has persisted. Dr. Fred Kummerow, who is nearly 100 years old, was the first scientist to document the toxicity of trans fats. Over the past 60 years, his research has repeatedly demonstrated that there’s NO correlation between high cholesterol and plaque formation that leads to heart disease. Dr. Kummerow’s work shows that it’s not cholesterol that causes heart disease; rather it’s the trans fats and oxidized cholesterol that are to blame.

Saturated Fat Phobia Lacks Scientific Basis

Does the thought of a rare-cooked, grass-fed steak, a couple of over-easy eggs cooked in butter, or a tall glass of raw whole milk make your mouth water? These satisfying foods that have been enjoyed for ages are now taboo, according to US health agencies, because saturated animal fats “cause heart disease” and should be severely restricted in a heart-healthy diet. As recently as 2010, the current recommendations from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) call for reducing your saturated fat intake to a mere 10 percent of your total calories or less. This is astounding, and quite the opposite of what most people require for optimal health! Fortunately, there are signs that the saturated fat phobia is lifting in the US, and not a moment too soon, as increasing research banishes the myth that saturated fats harm your health.

Blood Pressure Meds and Statin Drugs Useless for Seniors

We have published many stories explaining how today's senior population, from the "baby-boomer" generation, is a lucrative market for pharmaceutical companies. In this report, Dr. Brownstein explains how blood pressure medication and cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, representing billions of dollars in revenue for pharmaceutical companies, are basically useless for the elderly.

How Bad Science and the Pharmaceutical Industry Created Most Modern Diseases

Dr. David Diamond, who is an expert in neuroscience, explains how he was forced to become an expert in heart disease. Faced with the problems of obesity, high triglycerides, and bad cholesterol lab results, making him a prime candidate for a heart attack, Dr. Diamond decided to forsake the standard statin drugs treatment and try to treat his problems through dietary intervention alone. He embarked on a dietary course endorsed by the medical system to supposedly reduce his cholesterol levels and triglycerides, by cutting back on meats and fat and exercising more. After a couple of years, he found out that this dietary course not only did not reduce his risk for heart disease, it actually increased it. His triglycerides and cholesterol ratios got even worse. His cardiologist told him he needed to go on statin drugs immediately and that he was kidding himself by believing diet could change anything. Dr. Diamond then decided to study heart disease himself, researching the published literature, so that he could become an expert on heart disease. During the day he was a neuroscientist, but in the evenings and weekends he was studying about heart disease. What he found was that the idea of saturated fat and cholesterol causing heart disease was not based on any real science and is a myth. Modern dietary advice is actually causing obesity and most modern diseases.

What Is Cholesterol, and Why Do You Need It?

You do need cholesterol. This soft, waxy substance is found not only in your bloodstream but also in every cell in your body, where it helps to produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help you digest fat. Cholesterol also helps in the formation of your memories and is vital for neurological function.

New Cholesterol Guidelines May Put 13 Million More on Statin Drugs

Controversial revised cholesterol-treatment guidelines loosened the definition of who would qualify for statin drug treatment to prevent heart disease, greatly increasing the number of people who would be eligible for treatment. Compared with the older guidelines, the new recommendations would increase the number of US adults eligible for statin therapy from 43.2 million to 56 million, with most of the increase occurring among adults without heart disease. Perhaps the biggest “sham” of all is that statin drugs, touted as “preventive medicine” to protect your heart health, can actually have detrimental effects on your heart.

Study: Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs More than Double Breast Cancer Risk

A study found that current users of statins for ten years or longer had an 83% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 97% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma, when compared to never-users of statins. Among women diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, current users of statins for ten years or longer had a 104% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 143% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma. Even more appalling is the fact that statins have never been shown, in women and most men, to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Nor have statins been shown to significantly prolong a woman or a man’s life. Perhaps women just need to say “No” to a statin prescription.