Vytorin Risks Debated in Medical Journal

Uncertainty lingers for cholesterol drug Vytorin, as experts gave mixed opinions about the cancer risks for the Schering-Plough (SGP Quote) and Merck (MRK Quote) joint venture in a prestigious medical journal.

The New England Journal of Medicine on Tuesday published results from one study that showed an increased incidence of cancer, but another, larger number-crunching effort showed that the number of cancer cases coming up in Vytorin studies vs. control groups was not statistically significant.

The SEAS (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis) trial compared Vytorin -- a melding of a cholesterol lowering statin and Zetia -- with a placebo with respect to the incidence of cardiovascular events in older people with aortic-valve stenosis. The drug didn't have an effect on the narrowing of the aortic valve, and the trial didn't meet its primary endpoint, a reduction in major cardiovascular events. ...