Dr. Scannell said the drug made her list as a result of two studies that revealed Vytorin, which is a combination of simvastatin (Zocor) and ezetimibe (Zetia), did not reduce artery-clogging plaque buildup, although tests showed it reduced “bad” cholesterol levels.

However, she said Vytorin’s bad year wasn’t all bad for consumers, as research from the study revealed a fundamental benefit of statin drugs to people with normal cholesteral but high indicators of inflammation. She says the Vytorin failure also brought to light “the importance of knowing how new drugs actually affect the people who take them – not just their blood tests.”

Dr. Kate Scannell is an East Bay physician and syndicated columnist.

SOURCE: Vytorin Recall › Vytorin No. 3 on list of Top 10 medical stories of 2008