A doctor’s worst nightmare: TV show prompted thousands to stop taking statins, raising cardiovascular disease risk

A study published in The Medical Journal of Australia, or MJA, showed that the Australian science program Catalyst persuaded over 60,000 Australians to stop taking cholesterol lowering drugs called statins.

The influence of programs like Doctor Oz is not just persuading audiences to adopt fad diets like swilling green coffee bean extract or take over the counter meds like baby aspirin to prevent heart attacks. As an Australian science program recently showed, it can also lead people to stop taking potentially life saving medication by raising doubts over its effectiveness.

A study published in The Medical Journal of Australia, or MJA, showed that the Australian science program Catalyst persuaded over 60,000 Australians to stop taking cholesterol lowering drugs called statins.

Over the two episodes of Catalyst aired by the Australian Broadcast Corporation, in a debate it claimed would present equally the pros and cons of statins, the program questioned the link between cholesterol and heart disease and argued that statins were overprescribed.

The MJA article’s lead author, Andrea Schaffer from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Pharmacy, stated,

“In the eight months following the Catalyst broadcast, an estimated 60,897 fewer people had statins dispensed than expected. If patients continue to avoid statins over the next five years, this could result in between 1,522 and 2,900 preventable, and potentially fatal, heart attacks and strokes.”

Sallie Pearson, PhD, senior author of the study and scientific director of the Center of Research Excellence in Medicines and Aging, said that the decrease in statin use was seen in people with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a condition the drugs are specifically prescribed to keep under control.

After ABC conducted its own investigation, the corporation removed the two episodes of Catalyst from their website and released the investigation results to the public.

Emily Banks, PhD, who is an Australia National University professor and co-author of the MJA article, said,

“The media has a critical role to play in questioning the status quo and in helping people to make sense of health information. These findings demonstrate the power of the media and how serious the consequences can be if reporting is not balanced and informed.”

Photo: Flickr user John Daley

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