[Villages PL]

One thing I found disappointing is that no mention was made of the actual number of deaths in the JUPERER trial. All we know is that there was a 20% reduction in overall mortality among those taking the drug, Crestor. That could mean there were 5 deaths in the placebo grouop and 4 deaths in the Crestor group. Likewise, a 50% reduction in strokes could mean 2 strokes in the placebo group and 1 stroke in the Crestor group.

That would mean that 9,000 people were drugged in order to prevent 1 death and 1 stroke etc.. And being that there were "other risk factors," we don't know if those who died ate poor diets or had sedentary stressful lifestyles, or whatever. Even if there were a greater number of deaths prevented, I would still want to know all the lifestyle details of those who died.

"The study was stopped after a little less than two years,...." So we don't know anything about long-term or lifelong risks. Therefore, it's possible that the positive results (from the short term trial) could reverse themselves over a much longer period of time. Who will decide to roll the dice to gamble the possible short term benefits against possible long-term adverse outcomes (i.e., liver disease, kidney disease, among many others). Most likely it will be your doctor who decides to roll the dice for you. After all, your doctor won't be the one risking organ failure or premature death for himself or herself.