BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmjusa.03090003, (Published 30 September 2003)

As of August 25, 2003, this controversial paper had generated 85 Rapid Responses, which can be read in their entirety at http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/326/7404/1419. Following are edited excerpts — Editor

Letter

RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

From BMJ USA 2003;September:481

Editor — I am just wondering if the "compelling" observational evidence that lowering serum homocysteine reduces heart disease is as "compelling" as the observational evidence that estrogen did the same thing.

William E Osmun, assistant profession

University of Western Ontario, Mount Brydges, Canada. wosmun@uwo.ca

 

Editor — Even in "high risk" populations, statins failed to reduce overall mortality in ALLHAT, PROSPER and ASCOT while the number needed to treat for 1 year to postpone 1 death in HPS was about 300. These are the last 12 months of statin trials. The concept of all-cause mortality is glaringly missing in the Wald and Law analysis.

Eddie Vos, maintains www.health-heart.org

Sutton, Canada. vos@health-heart.org

 

Editor — I have read some rubbish in my time, but this just about takes the biscuit. Let's take this to its logical conclusion and put every drug known to medical science in the water supply. That way we will prevent and cure every disease humanity is subject to.

Or, of course, we could cut mortality . . . [Full text of this article]

Barry A Groves, independent researcher

barry@second-opinions.co.uk

Eugene A Rybinski, general practitioner

Sheffield, UK. erybinski@compuserve.com

Ewan Hamnett, GP principal

Birmingham, UK. mandy.goldstein@bhamchildrens.wmids.nhs.uk

Paul W Masters, consultant chemical pathologist

Chesterfield Royal Hospital, UK. paul.masters@chesterfieldroyal.nhs.uk

Anita Sainsbury

St James's University Hospital, Yorkshire, UK. anitabansal@yahoo.com

David M Reith, senior lecturer

Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. david.reith@stonebow.otago.ac.nz

Tom Fahey, professor of primary care medicine

t.p.fahey@dundee.ac.uk

Alan Montgomery, Yoav Ben Shlomo

University of Dundee, UK

Derek Yach, executive director

yachd@who.int

Shanthi Mendis, JoAnne Epping, Ruth Bonita, Amalia Waxman

Noncommunicable Diseases & Mental Health, World Health Organization

Gerry E Burns, GP principal

Belfast, UK. g.burns@p060.gp.n-i.nhs.uk


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