Topic: Statins

Scientific American reports that cholesterol-lowering statins like Crestor, which President Trump takes, can cause memory loss and affect mental well-being. There is speculation that this could become the next theme in the "Trump rotation" of media attacks on his fitness for office. However, some argue that mainstream media may avoid this angle to protect the interests of Big Pharma advertisers.

New medical guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology could double the number of Americans taking statin drugs to 75 million. The hosts analyze media coverage from CBS and CNN, calling the reports "advertisements" for Big Pharma. They specifically criticize the inclusion of ethnicity as a risk factor in the new "statin calculator."

A study published in The Lancet suggests that statins should be prescribed to healthy individuals to prevent heart attacks, a move seen as a way to boost sales for drugs like Lipitor. Similarly, the FDA is funding trials for Alzheimer's drugs in people who are "genetically guaranteed" to develop the disease but show no symptoms. These trends point toward a pharmaceutical model of treating the non-sick based on genetic markers.

The discussion continues on the pharmaceutical industry, noting that statins have been linked to memory loss, potentially creating a secondary market for Alzheimer's drugs. They also cover efforts by psychiatrists to label "grief" as a mental disorder and the push for mandatory vaccines for HPV and shingles. The hosts express skepticism toward the "vaccine train" and the legal immunity granted to drug manufacturers.

The British Heart Foundation has suggested that fast-food outlets should provide statins alongside hamburgers to neutralize cardiovascular risks. The hosts characterize this as "Brave New World" pharmaceutical pushing, where pills are used to enable unhealthy lifestyles rather than addressing root causes.

The osteoporosis drug Fosamax is linked to an increased risk of esophageal cancer in long-term users. Meanwhile, the FDA has approved AstraZeneca's statin drug, Crestor, for use as a preventative measure in healthy individuals, a move the hosts criticize as over-medication.