Editorial counterpoint: What are our priorities for prevention?

By Gregory Plotnikoff

Last update: November 11, 2008 - 12:12 PM

Print this story

Follow Opinion Exchange on Twitter

More from Opinion Exchange

Regarding the Tuesday editorial on the study of the benefits of the heart drug Crestor:

Overall, the study found 83 heart attacks, strokes and deaths from cardiac causes among the 8,901 patients given Crestor (0.9 percent) comared with 157 in the equal number getting a placebo (1.8 percent). That means 120 people would need to be treated for two years at $3.45 a day per person to prevent just one cardiac event.

The total cost for the 120 people to prevent the one heart attack? It's $300,000.

This data is what the head of cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic called an "out-of-the park home run."

Now, taking the medicine still did not eliminate the risk; 83 people (who would be paying $3.45 per day each day for two years, roughly $2,500 per person) still had a heart attack.

Recent Opinion Exchange stories

Let's go to the tape - November 11, 2008

Let's go to the tape - Fox News' Sean Hannity had Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann on his program to celebrate the success of her Capitol Hill tea party last week. More

Comment on this story | Read all 1 comments | Hide reader comments

New ideas for the public sector

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME to create a more efficient Minnesota. Facing large budget deficits at the state, county and local levels, Minnesotans are seeing with new clarity that the public sector must adapt to new economic realities. Only the smartest, most strategic reinvention will ensure that our tax dollars are spent on the best programs and services. Read more

About Opinion Exchange

Opinion Exchange is produced by the Editorial Department, which is dedicated to hosting the discussion on a range of issues of interest to Star Tribune readers online and in print. In its new format, it's our hope that Opinion Exhange will create a more dynamic dialogue between Star Tribune readers and the Editorial Board. Many individual posts will be written and signed by members of the Editorial Board and will reflect their own opinions. Daily editorials will continue to represent the institutional voice of the newspaper and be researched and written by the Editorial Department, which is independent of the newsroom.

Subscribe to RSS|Learn more about RSS