Article
Pharmaceutical Executive
Pharmaceutical Executive
Vytorin Study Causes Media Stir, but Are the Concerns Justified?
Unlike Vioxx, Vytorin works exactly as explained in its now-famous food-and-family ads. So why are people up in arms against the drug? Experts ponder what went wrong.
Merck and Schering-Plough's announcement last week that Vytorin did not show any evidence of reducing fatty plaque buildup in veins and arteries stirred up a lot of complaints from industry pundits who felt that the public was misled by pharma.
There's only one hitch: The two pharma companies never stated that the drug, a cholesterol-lowering combination of Zocor and Zetia, had an effect on plaque.
Newsletter
Lead with insight with the Pharmaceutical Executive newsletter, featuring strategic analysis, leadership trends, and market intelligence for biopharma decision-makers.
