|
|
Article: Nonprescription Sales of Cholesterol Drug Rejected; FDA Panel Says Risk of Side Effects Outweighs Benefits
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- January 15, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
|
Federal advisers yesterday rejected a proposal to allow the sale
of a powerful cholesterol-lowering pill without a prescription,
saying the risk of side effects outweighed the possible benefits of
preventing more heart attacks and strokes.
At the conclusion of an unusual joint meeting of two Food and Drug
Administration expert committees, the panel voted 20 to 3 that the
agency should deny a request from Merck & Co. and Johnson & Johnson
to market a low-dose version of Merck's drug Mevacor to consumers
without a doctor's order.
Although many members said they endorsed the general idea of
increasing the use of cholesterol drugs called statins by making them
more easily available, they said ...