Statins increase life expectancy in short-term trials, but not by very much. There are questions about the accuracy of trial results and the safety of statins in the long-term is not established. The cost-effectiveness of statins is also poor and the cost to the NHS for all those currently being suggested as needing them would be crippling.

Until a considerable amount of better evidence is available that demonstrate statins do have real, long-term benefits without serious adverse side effects, it might be wise to restrict their use to patients at very high risk.

Barry Groves on the work of Dr Uffe Ravnskov and statistician Al Lohse.

Statins: Saviours of Mankind or Expensive Scam?