Cholesterol drug Baycol was recalled in August 2001 after more than 50 related deaths were reported. Since then, the number of deaths linked to the drug has increased to more than 100 and the drug’s manufacturer, Bayer AG, is suffering financially as a result.
The withdrawal cost Bayer over $842 million in operating earnings in 2001, and currently Bayer shares are trading at about half their value since the recall. The number of damages suits facing the company rose from 5,700 in November to 7,400, according to a company spokesperson.
Reportedly, Bayer had made no special provisions for Baycol as it had taken insurance for such possible events, however, the insurance is likely limited, said analysts.
Reuters Frankfurt January 15, 2003
Globe and Mail December 21, 2002
Things are not looking up for Bayer. It appears that they may have nearly 10,000 lawsuits related to their statin drug that was withdrawn from the market two years ago. The company has lost half of its value since the drug was withdrawn.
The wonderful thing about natural medicine is that you can frequently avoid dangerous drug-related complications.
The Baycol deaths were particularly tragic because nearly every one of them was unnecessary. The vast majority of people with elevated cholesterol levels respond remarkably well to dietary interventions of
Additionally, exercise is another powerful modality to normalize cholesterol levels.
As I said in September when a study showed that adding fish oil to another statin drug, Lipitor, improved the risk of heart disease:
Adding fish oils to Lipitor will improve the risk for heart disease. However, lowering your insulin levels will achieve the same objective. The real issue is: Does one even need Lipitor?
My experience is that only a few people who have cholesterol levels above 350 would benefit from taking Lipitor. Nearly everyone else can control cholesterol by following the nutrition plan.
Adding fish oil to your diet will provide considerable additional benefits and further reduce your risk for heart disease. For the vast majority of people, fish oil will provide more benefits than taking Lipitor.
In many ways, this reminds me of the progression of the treatment of ulcer disease. Over 20 years ago, antibiotics were shown to be useful in the treatment of ulcers because they killed or reduced H. pylori levels. It took nearly 15 years for the medical community to widely embrace this concept; they would instead promote H2 blockers like Tagamet and Zantac to treat ulcers. However, once they accepted the concept the drug companies jumped on board to show that their drugs, and the newer proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec and Prevacid, worked really well with the antibiotics to treat ulcers.
Sounds to me like the same story all over again. Interestingly, ulcer antibiotics, like most drugs, are not the ultimate solution for ulcers. Read my comment in an earlier article to see my recommendations for ulcer treatment.
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Baycol Pulled From Market as Numerous Deaths Linked to It
The Baycol Recall: How Safe Is Your Statin?
The Truth About Cholesterol Lowering Drugs and Cholesterol
Cardiovascular Benefits of Omega-3 Fats