No Clear Answers on Vytorin and Cancer

New data have not relieved concerns about a possible cancer risk among users of Vytorin. This cholesterol pill combines two drugs. They are simvastatin (Zocor) and ezetimibe (Zetia). A study released in July found more cancer cases in people who took Vytorin compared with fake pills. Leaders of two other Vytorin studies decided to take an early look at their data. They didn’t find more cancer cases with Vytorin. But rates of cancer death were higher. The New England Journal of Medicine published both studies online. An editorial said doctors should prescribe Vytorin with caution until more is known. The Associated Press wrote about the issue September 2.