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Article: Ads, research undermine Vytorin; Manufacturers' conduct casts doubt on drug and industry.(NEWS)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- April 3, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In the turmoil swirling around the cholesterol medication Vytorin this week, an important message has been lost: This is not a bad drug. But its manufacturers -- Schering-Plough and Merck -- have handled its development badly, undermining confidence in the industry and a drug that could yet prove to be an important addition to doctors' heart disease arsenal. It's hard to miss the clever Vytorin ad campaign about diet and family history influencing cholesterol levels. Vytorin's pitch is that it's two drugs in one pill and treats both. In 2006, U.S. doctors wrote 34 million prescriptions for it.
The trouble is, Vytorin isn't ready to be a blockbuster drug. While it ...