Big on promise, big on cost: Which patients warrant this cholesterol-busting wonder drug?

Description

This article discusses PCSK9 inhibitors, a new class of medicine for cholesterol lowering. The discussion features opinions of cardiologist that the medicine should be more widely available. Dr Morgan discusses some of the policy issues around paying for expensive medicines and monitoring of new medicines.

Subject

Meet the new lipid-lowering agents: monoclonal antibodies that promise to shrink LDL to levels lower than even the strongest statin could achieve.

PCSK9 inhibitors have captured attention for their potential to cut stroke and myocardial infarction risk, as well as for their substantial cost, an estimated $8000 per year.