An investigation has backed the British Medical Journal's handling of two controversial and inaccurate articles it published on the harms of cholesterol-reducing statins.
Both claimed that 20% of users would suffer harmful side effects.
The journal withdrew the claim, but refused calls for a full retraction.
Yet prominent academics have criticised the investigation, saying the articles still damage confidence in statins and are continuing to demand a retraction.
Statins lower levels of cholesterol in the blood to reduce the odds of a heart attack or stroke.
The harms and benefits of the drugs became a hugely controversial area of medicine in the run-up to a massive expansion in prescribing in July.
Four in 10 adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now eligible for statins, even though many are at low risk of a heart attack or stroke.
How risky?
An article by Dr John Abramson, from Harvard Medical School and a separate piece by cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra claimed that side effects of statins occurred in 18-20% of people.
The research they were quoting did not adjust its findings for the level of those side effects - such as muscle problems, increased risk of diabetes and liver inflammation - which would have occurred even if people were not taking the drugs.
Leading academic Prof Rory Collins, from Oxford University, said the articles were likely to have encouraged people to stop taking statins with potentially life threatening consequences.An investigation, lead by a former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Dr Iona Heath, was launched in May.
It has concluded: "The panel were unanimous in their decision that the two papers do not meet any of the criteria for retraction.
More on this story here.
Note Sir Rory Statin and co. have received over the years from big pharma £114 MILLION
"The web of funding around Collins, CTT, CTSU (Clinical Trial Service Unit) has proved astoundingly difficult to get to the bottom of. I had a bit of a breakthrough recently and came across a declaration of interest for Colin Baigent – CTT secretariat and close senior colleague of Collins. Check page five for current and recent grants. The following have been awarded to Colin Baigent and Rory Collins, (with other names mentioned alongside):
| Merck & Schering | £39 MILLION (2002-2011) |
| Merck | £52 MILLION (2005-2013) |
| British Heart Foundation | £9 MILLION (2005-2013) (Where does the BHF get that kind of money?) & then another grant from the BHF for £2.7 MILLION (2004-2013) & then a couple more for several hundreds of thousands of pounds. |
| Medical Research Council | £13.8 MILLION (2008-2013) (Check the most recent appointees to the MRC - a Senior Vice President of Pfizer and Executive Vice President of Astra Zeneca). |
| Bayer | A mere £965,000 |
| John Wyeth Ltd | £500,000 |
| Novartis | £350,000 |
That’s £114 MILLION before you get into the small change."
Hat tip to Zoe Harcombe for the info above.
Eddie
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