Jan. 25, 2007 — Research emerging this week from a Harvard researcher claims there is no evidence that statins prevent heart disease in women. In addition, data suggest that men over 69 with only moderate risk of future heart problems are not benefited by taking statins either.
The drugs should no longer be regularly prescribed to these populations, according to the finding from Dr. John Abramson, Harvard Medical School, and Dr. James M. Wright, from the University of British Columbia.
Other experts are disputing the research, maintaining that good evidence exists that statins reduce heart disease and deaths from heart attacks. The drugs are designed to reduce levels of bad cholesterol called LDLs which can fur up the arteries and lead to heart disease.
"Statins did not reduce total coronary heart disease events in 10,990 women in these primary prevention trials," the researching physicians said. "Similarly in 3,239 men and women older than 69 years, statins did not reduce total cardiovascular events.”
"Our analysis suggests that lipid-lowering statins should not be prescribed for true primary prevention in women of any age or for men older than 69 years."
September 25, 2025 
