When Mainstream Medicine Becomes Marketers Of Big Pharma

A position paper, published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Cardiology, brings out to the open the long suspected alleged role of mainstream medicine as the de facto marketing arm for Big Pharma.

In said paper, Dr. Darrell Francis of the Imperial College of London, urged fast food chains and restaurants to dole out free cholesterol lowering statin drugs to patrons to counter the ill effects of its unhealthy foods.


While the intention might appear to be noble, the approach is rather more ludicrous and dangerous. To ask patrons to take the statins with their fast food meals is tantamount to asking them to make a big gamble on their well-being, especially in the light of the well-known side effects of these drugs.

Among other things, statins can cause weakness and fatigue, dizziness, headaches, sleep disorder, muscle pain, memory loss, and renal damage. According to several studies, statins have also been found to raise diabetes risk up to 13%. Besides, there are natural remedies for lowering cholesterol which are far more effective, and without side effects. [Search Amazon.com for lower cholesterol naturally]

The message Dr. Francis seems to impart is that it's alright to indulge in unhealthy fast food offerings as long as we take statins with the meals. What a depraved reasoning! Why not launch, instead, an advocacy for a healthy diet change among fast food chains to address the health issues arising from their menus?

So, this whole thing just boils down to a marketing strategy by Big Pharma in an attempt to stuff further its already bulging pocket from its multi-billion dollar sales of statins, using its ever cooperative ally, mainstream medicine. Even the American Heart Association, has been publicly raising the issue of adding statins to the US water supplies along with fluoride. It brings to fore the extremes Big Pharma is willing to undertake without so much regard for its social and moral consequences.