For a blog generally concerned with overzealous government regulation, readers might be surprised to find an article applauding the FDA.  However, the regulatory agency has remained an ally of the American people by fulfilling its mandate – carefully evaluating every issue without bowing to outside pressure.

In the case of statins, which are drugs designed to lower cholesterol levels, a small group of opponents mistakenly believe these drugs can cause more harm than good.  Fortunately, the FDA has dismissed their petitions – and rightly so – because of the overwhelming lack of scientific evidence to support the outrageous claims made.

Instead, statins have been on the market for quite some time, and have unquestionably saved lives.  The FDA’s most recent laudable move was to approve the statin Crestor for use in patients who don’t exhibit high cholesterol, but are at risk for heart disease.

This could mean you, so read on, because this drug might save your life.

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If you would like a pre-Obama Care window into the possible future of American Health Care–if Democrats in Congress are successful in passing their sweeping health care legislation, you need look no further than government imposed rationing of heart disease prevention in this country. It is a travesty in the making and should demonstrate to everyone the capricious nature of government control over our health care.

I am writing of the Obama Administration’s – regulatory decision – to go ahead with a massive cut in Medicare payments to cardiologists. I emphasize that this is a regulatory decision because it was not made by the Congress legislatively (not that that would be ok) but, instead, it was made by the massive Health and Human Services Department of the US Government. Given the limited resources of the Medicare budget, in order to increase payments to general practitioners (in an effort to attract more such doctors – a good idea), bureaucrats needed to gore somebody’s ox and cardiologists were chosen (a horrible idea).

The decision to do so is astonishing.

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