Have you heard about the controversy to add statins (cholesterol-lowering medication) into drinking water?
The benefits of statins are (I believe) undisputed: statins reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, one of the top causes of death. Studies show they can cut the risk of a heart attack and stroke by a third. This is truly amazing...how many of us know someone who has been effected by cardiovascular disease??
Doctors and Public Health Officials are debating whether adding statins to drinking water would be a good idea or not. The reasons for this addition would be akin to adding fluoride to the drinking water, as the benefits far outweigh the risks. Some doctors say there are no real side effects to the statins, and we know they lower cardiovascular disease incidence. Public health officials are saying that statins are even safer than aspirin, with fewer side effects, and aspirin is widely used and accepted as "safe".
Of course, the other side to this debate is that there are some risks. For instance, babies should not drink water with statins, so it is not safe for everyone. One doctor said that adding medication to water would automatically turn people into patients.
What do you think about this? How do you weigh the pros and cons, and is there a middle ground?