No one challenges ezetimibe’s (the active ingredient in Zetia and Vytorin) effectiveness to lower LDL or bad cholesterol. That was the basis on which the FDA granted approval. The larger question is whether ezetimibe prevents heart disease and death. The Enhance study published in 2008 showed Vytorin did no better job of treating clogged arteries than statins alone. A second Seas study had similar results and generated additional controversy by publishing data that Vytorin users appeared to die more often of cancer.

The American public should not be enriching the pockets of giant pharmaceutical companies to the tune of $21 billion for drugs that are not proven to be effective for the purpose patients are using them. The FDA must be more rigorous in demanding adequate research before approving these huge profit-making drugs. Imagine how patients who have been buying and taking Zetia and Vytorin feel when they could have been saving money and had similar or better results taking plain old niacin?

Vytorin, a combination of two drugs called Zetia and Zocor, was a top-selling drug intended to reduce cholesterol. Millions of Americans were prescribed the drug in an effort to reduce cholesterol by reducing arterial plaque. Significant revenue was generated for Merck and Schering-Plough through these prescriptions.

There was one problem though. Merck’s own clinical trial to study the effectiveness of the drug, called ENHANCE, allegedly showed that Vytorin was ineffective in reducing arterial plaque. Merck did not release the results of the study and, instead, continued to make money selling Vytorin.

Consumers would have little hope of successfully or economically bringing individual suits to recoup money paid for a worthless drug. Class actions, however, allow similarly situated consumers to pool all of their claims together in an effort to secure justice from companies who have cheated them. We are proud to have represented tens of thousands of consumers from throughout the country in consumer protection class action lawsuits. Consumer class actions oftentimes represent the best and only way for consumers to obtain justice.