MSD, Schering-Plough ‘discrediting research’

Merck (MSD) and Schering-Plough are discrediting recent research conducted on their jointly-marketed product Vytorin, Bloomberg reports.

January of this year saw a study claim that the cholesterol drug does not stop the progression of artery disease. This caused prescriptions of the product to fall by 18 per cent and the market value of the companies to drop by $49 million (24.3 million pounds), according to the news provider.

But now, MSD and Schering-Plough are telling physicians to ignore the research, which also suggested that it cannot outperform an older drug aimed at treating the same condition.

And a Minnesota cardiologist said it is unlikely that the study results will influence those in the industry.

“The question we’re asking is does [Vytorin] lower heart attack risk,” Randy Thomas commented. “We won’t know that from [the research].”

According to the Vytorin website, it is the only product able to block the absorption of cholesterol from food as well as reducing the natural level of cholesterol in the body.