Medicines use reviews (MURs) offer a “great opportunity” to allay patients’ fears about the potential side effects of statins, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has told C+D. 

The RPS made the comments in response to an article in the BMJ on Tuesday (June 28), which suggested that “intense” media coverage of the side effects of statins in 2013-14 led to an increase in the number of patients stopping their treatment.

The study referred to a BMJ article in 2013 which suggested that the "side effects [of statins] might outweigh the overall health benefits".

The authors of this week’s study estimated that almost 219,000 patients stopped taking statins in the six months following the media coverage. However, statin uptake had “returned to expected levels after six months”, they stressed.

Older patients and those who had used statins for longer were more likely to stop taking them, the authors said.

“This research highlights the potential for widely covered health stories in the media to have an effect on real world behaviour,” they added.

Patients will "naturally turn to pharmacists"

RPS spokesperson Neal Patel told C+D that patients concerned about statins “will naturally turn to pharmacists for advice”.

“MURs are designed to help with concerns about side effects and appropriateness, and offer a great opportunity to discuss these with a pharmacist,” he added.

“Not a decision taken lightly”

Royal College of General Practitioners president Maureen Baker responded to the latest BMJ article by stressing that it is important for patients prescribed statins to undertake regular medication reviews.

“Whatever the debate in the media about the potential health risks of statins, it’s essential that patients don’t make any unilateral decisions to stop taking medicines,” Professor Baker said. 

Have any of your patients discussed their concerns about statins?

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