Crestor Should be Taken Off the Market

Public Citizen Letter in Lancet Journal Warns that Crestor is Dangerous

In a letter published in The Lancet medical journal, the US consumer watchdog group Public Citizen said Crestor is linked to increased incidences of rhabdomyolysis and at a higher rate than other statin drugs.

Public Citizen's Sidney Wolfe said that from the time Crestor was approved in August 2003 until mid-April 2004, 18 patients have suffered severe muscle deterioration. In The Lancet, Wolf says "The renal toxicity, high rate of cases of rhabdomyolysis compared with other statins, and a lack of unique benefit are compelling reasons to remove rosuvastatin from the market before additional patients are injured or killed."

Drug maker AstraZeneca changed Crestor's European label in June 2004 due to safety concerns. Since that time, Health Canada and the US FDA have issued advisories cautioning patients to stay at the lowest possible dose of Crestor due to concerns about muscle toxicity and rhabdomyolysis.

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