How the pharmaceutical industry manipulates health statistics

The book, KNOW YOUR CHANCES: UNDERSTANDING HEALTH STATISTICS, spells out what Dr W C Douglas and others have been saying for years – that most health statistics produced by the pharmaceutical industry need to be taken with a good deal of scepticism.

The book's three authors, Drs. Lisa Schwartz, H. Gilbert Welch, and Steven Woloshin, describe the many ways drug companies can take statistics, and twist them in braids and tie them in knots to say exactly what they want. These misleading results then form the basis of "exciting" health news and pharmaceutical advertising.

To Quote Dr Douglas: "They point out that the ads for the statin drug Zocor, for example, claim that the drug can reduce your risk of death by heart attack by 42 percent. The authors deconstruct the statistics that helped to create that sexy, attention-getting percentage. Take a look:

The Zocor numbers are based on a study in which just 111 heart disease sufferers out of about 2,000 who used Zocor died of a heart attack. Meanwhile, 189 of the placebo-taking control group of about 2,000 patients met a similar fate. So when you compare the death rates for Zocor-takers directly to that of the placebo group, the actual "reduction" of the risk of heart attack death between the two is a paltry 3.5 percent."
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Gary comments:
For an insignificant reduction in heart attack risk the risks associated with taking statins far outweigh the benefits.

Statins interefere with Coenzyme Q-10 and fat metabolism which can lead to:

• Cognitive decline (dementia, Alzheimer's)
• Muscle wasting, joint degeneration and severe pain (polymyalgia)
• Extreme fatigue
• Increased risk of falling and breaking a hip
• Heart failure
• Skin breakdown
• Infection, including fatal septicemia

Most people who suffer these terrible side effects put them down to ageing. How wrong they can be! In 99% of cases, the prescribing doctor does not withdraw the offending medicine - they prescribe yet another, like Prednisone!

"The treatment was a success; however the patient died"

While official statisitcs for the adverse side effects of statin drugs put them as rare, please bear in mind that reporting rates may be as low as one percent. In my experience, the rates are nearer 50% or more - and increasing the longer a person is on these drugs. While a person on statins may have a slightly less risk of dying of a heart attack, what is certain is their quality of life may be seriously compromised and they will die earlier of another disease.

NB: If on statins or if you have been on them at any time, then you are urged to commence a course of restoring your Conenzyme Q-10 stores. In fact, if on stains, then it should be compulsory that you also have Q-10 prescribed.


Here is a Quizz for your doctor:

• Name the human co-enzyme that is depleted when taking statin medication
• Answer: Coenzyme Q-10
• Is Coenzyme Q-10 water or fat soluble?
• Answer: Fat soluble
• What are the two most important functions of Coenzyme Q-10
• Answer: Mitochondrial ATP synthesis and as an antioxidant in cell membranes and lipoproteins
• List four signs of Coenzyme Q-10 depletion
• Answer: Refer list of 7 earlier on in this article

When to fire your doctor: Your good health is everything. If your doctor is unable to answer any of the above questions about Q-10, or appears dismissive of any symptoms or concerns that you have, or wants to prescribe another drug to counter the side effects of the other drug, then is is time to find a better doctor. You are the consumer - take your business elsewhere.

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I stopped taking Fosamax immediately after reading your article about biphosphonates

"I had been taking Fosamax for 11 months before reading your article. I decided to stop taking them immediately. I saw my doctor but she said she knew nothing of any bad side effect and wanted me to continue taking them. I refused and went back to taking Etidronate for two weeks and Calcium for two and a half months. Is this safer for me ? I had been on that for several years before changing to Fosamax last Sept. I am 72 in a couple of days time. Take no other medication and feel I am reasonably fit . I walk four kilometres most days .I am not overweight at all. My only problem really is back pain. I had x-rays in Jan and the results where deteriation of the spine. I find vacuuming and gardening a problem but as we have a large garden and grow lots of veg etc I still need to be able to do my share. Also I love doing it.

I do value your opinion and look forward to hearing any ideas you may have to help me."

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Gary replies:

Editronate is the same class of medicine as Fosamax - a bisphosphonate. I have yet to hear a single compelling reason why a person should be taking these. Unless, of course, they have very special reasons for needing to suppress bone turnover, such as bone cancer.

Even at 72 your bones are living organs that are in a constant process of renewal. The best approach to maintaining their health by far is to nourish them with good food and to sitmulate them through exercise to be supple and strong.

There are a number of things you can do regardless of age to improve bone health:

• Lift about 2kg from ground level above your head and down several times daily.
• Get a referral to the ACC sponsored Tai Chi community exercise programme
• Walk, garden, dance.
• My book on back pain has many exercises in it that would be beneficial for you.
• Get a little protein into your body 3-4 times a day. If necessary, you can take a whey protein supplement.
• Ensure you take a mineral supplement that supplies calcium and other bone mineral nutrients in the form that is found in the body (This excludes most calcium supplements). Take small doses frequently and void the big-hit supplements. Active 4.3 will do the job nicely.
• Ensure that you have a rich daily intake of all of the fat soluble vitamins - A, D, E and K. A blood test of vitamin D can be ordered through your Dr; but bear in mind that a notice has been circulated to doctors earlier this year requesting that they refrain from ordering this test unless absolutely necessary due to cost. Insist on the test then send me the results and I will assist with its interpretation. This will help with determining how much supplementary vitamin D you need.
• You may need to take some supplements for all of the fat soluble vitamins other than vitamin K. The best source of vitamin K is spinach, silver beet, Brussel sprouts, taro leaves and brocoli cooked in fat like coconut oil, lard or clarified butter or ordinary butter (The fat dissolves the vtiamin K).

This exercise and nutrition advice does not in any way interfere with current medication.

You still need to discuss your medication needs with an informed and caring health professional. If your doctor knows nothing of the side effects of these drugs you are taking, then it may be time to change to a doctor who is better informed. I am about to write my take on why official statistics of adverse reactions to many medication seem incredibly rare, while being a common occurence to people like me who are working at the coal face. Keep a watch out for it.

Please let me know how you get on.

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Drug treatments for restless legs syndrome (RLS)

Here is a quick little compilation I have assembled about how drugs companies with their medical buddies suck people into a downwards spiral of unnecessary drugs-taking.

Suffering from Restless Legs Syndrome RLS) and desperately looking for relief? Well, your licensed drugs pusher is here to help. Watch this video:



And here is a legitimate direct to consumer advertisement about restless legs syndrome to start the hooking process:



The drugs promoted in these videos for the treatment of restless legs syndrome are far from safe as the ads would have viewers believe.

Here is the riposte to the earlier ad about restless legs syndrome:



I have figured out how to relieve Restless Legs Syndrome RLS) naturally. Keep an eye out for my upcoming article about healthy ways to manage restless legs syndrome.



Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.