Study questions Lipitor's efficacy for women

NEW YORK A study published in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies has shown that Pfizer’s blockbuster drug Lipitor does little to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems in women.

The study was based on analysis of previous studies on drugs’ effects on cardiovascular health in men and women. Studies had shown that the reduction in heart attack risk was statistically significant in men who used Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), but not in women.

“Our findings indicate that each year, reasonably health women spend billions of dollars on drugs in the hope of preventing heart attacks but that scientific evidence supporting their hope does not exist.”