Cholesterol Drug From Merck Recalled

Cholesterol Drug From Merck Recalled

The cholesterol drug of Merck & Co is being recalled from international markets after research discovered that it does not prevent heart problems.

The move raised concerns on the safety of the cholesterol drug that was not given approval in the United States although it is being sold in around forty countries.

According to Merck, it was recalling Tredaptive inventories in wholesalers even as the remaining stocks of the drug are still being sold by drugstores. The company also indicated that will persuade doctors against giving prescriptions for the cholesterol drug following the negative results in a study made on the drug. The study involved over 25,000 patients for nearly four years.

Although the company is encouraging doctors to recommend other cholesterol treatments for their patients, it also advised patients to consult with their doctor before they stop taking the cholesterol drug. The remaining stocks of Tredaptive are expected to be used up by the middle of March, according to Pam Eisle, a spokesman for the company.

Tredaptive is combined with niacin and another drug that is designed to minimize the flushing in the face, which is a consequence of niacin. Sales of the cholesterol drug is less than $20 million each year, which comprises a small part of the $50 billion annual revenue of Merck

Last December, Merck revealed that Tredaptive did not significantly reduce the strokes or heart attacks compared to other statin medicines that are meant to lower LDL cholesterol. In addition, the cholesterol drug increased the occurrence of nonfatal side effects by a considerable degree.

The European Union gave its approval for Tredaptive in 2008. However, it was not given any approval by the Food and Drug Administration of the US until a study is made to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the cholesterol drug.

A number of analysts have indicated that annual sales of Tredaptive would reach around $1 billion if the US gave its approval in the use of the cholesterol drug.

Posted by George Daniels on Saturday January 12 2013, 11:58 PM EST. Ref: Reuters. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0