When company profits and patient health collide

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I think we all know who the loser is going to be when this happens. Right now that is the situation between Merck and Schering-Plough (2 major drug companies) and patients with high cholesterol. Even though studies are now showing that Zetia and Vytorin may not even be effective and actually increase heart attacks and stokes; these giant corporations STILL plan to promote these drugs as "first line" drugs for patients with high cholesterol. Instead of prescribing other drugs for high cholesterol that are proven effective and a lot safer and only using Zetria and Vytorin for people that are unable to lower thier cholesterol any other way: these companies want the doctor to prescribe these less effective, more dangerous drugs FIRST simply because they make more a higher profit from them. Here is an article with the facts - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/business/30cnd-vytorin.html?em&ex=1207108800&en=95fc2f074fcae417&ei=5087%0A Many doctors are already starting to avoid prescribing these drugs; but, if your doctor is overworked he may not have read the independant study results and may be relying on the information these companies distribute to make his prescription choices. So, if you or someone you know is taking one of these drugs and has not tried other cholesterol lowering drugs FIRST - they need to see their doctor about this and if the doctor will not change the medications - they need to find another doctor - before they become one of the casualties of a pharmaceutical company's greed.