Life-saving heart drug to be offered over-the-counter

Powerful drugs that can reduce the risks of heart attacks, could be made available over the counter at pharmacies within the next six months, Health Secretary John Reid said today.

Statins, which are used to lower cholesterol, are currently available only on prescription. However, a consultation document published today by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency, suggests that pharmacists should be able to supply the statin - Zocor Heart Pro - following simple health checks carried out on the spot.

Around 1.5 million people (more than 2% of the population) are currently receiving statin therapy, potentially saving about 6,700 lives a year, as well as reducing the number of heart attacks.

The NHS spent around £550 million on statins in 2002/2 – spending on statins is now £230 million a year more than it was three years ago. This investment has already helped achieve a fall in death rates of 23% over five years, from heart disease and strokes in people aged under 75, the government said.

Cardiovascular disease causes more than 270,000 deaths a year, or about four out of 10 of all deaths. It kills 50,000 more women each year than cancer and is responsible for a third of premature deaths in men and more than a quarter in women.

John Reid said: "Independent expert advice suggests that many people could benefit greatly if statins were made more widely available, possibly saving hundreds of lives per year and preventing a higher incidence of coronary heart disease.

"Giving people the chance to buy a preventative medicine that they could not otherwise be able to get must be right. Just as people have the choice to give up smoking and improve their diet, we want them to be able to choose a medicine that will reduce the risk of CHD."

The nine-week public consultation launched by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) started today, and at the end of the consultation period, the results will be studied by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) for advice to Health Ministers.

(gmcg)