Leqvio, the injectable drug to combat “bad” cholesterol: more marketing than science and unknown dangers

2023-10-26 13:27:09

Is called Leqvi (inclisiran) and is the latest invention to treat “bad” cholesterol. It is not a vaccine, although it is injectable, but they sell it as such. Like what we published yesterday: The new treatment for childhood bronchiolitis, Beyfortus: ineffective, expensive and dangerous. Beyfortus is NOT a vaccine (it is an injectable), but pharmaceutical companies use the image of vaccines as marketing.

And what is Leqvio then? Well, a treatment that Health will finance in cases of greater health risk due to having the high “bad” cholesterol. And it can be used by those cardiovascular patients who cannot lower those figures below 100 mg/dl with the treatments already available – which also have their things – or with diet and physical exercise.

They say, since Novartis -the laboratory that sells it- that is effective. And they also say – a cardiologist who has participated in the trials in Spain – tests carried out by Novartis – that he is very safe. The perfect drug: “necessary”, “effective” and “safe”. This happens WHENEVER a new treatment in the market, then the problems begin.

In fact, This medicine has the black triangle which warns that it is subject to additional monitoring, which speaks to its lack of security.

They also tell us that this product is “pure therapeutic innovation” because it is based on RNA technology (genetic material) similar to that used in Covid vaccines.

It’s scary because most of officially recognized deaths -by the Spanish Medicines Agency– are people who were vaccinated with those of Pfizer y Modern.

What remains to be demonstrated – the studies are still in progress – is that the drug reduces long term mortality.

This would be interesting, because at the moment what we have is marketing to go opening a new market.

Its usefulness, effectiveness and safety remain to be seen. The leaflet says about the latter: “it can produce Adverse effectsalthough not all people suffer from them.

And it does not specify which ones… because they are unknown.

They also tell us that Leqvio is very convenient since it only has to be injected twice a year, but the small group of patients for whom it could be indicated must take into account that this injectable does not exempt them from continue taking drugs for “bad” cholesterol. And the risks and existing marketing around these treatments are known: statins.

These are among the best-selling drugs – currently taken by one in four people – but the evidence for their health benefits has always been weak and offer serious adverse reactions. Hay specialists even calling for its withdrawal from the market.

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