Comment Summary

Recent published reports have implied that some Merck/Schering-Plough executives, some cardiologists who ran the ENHANCE study, and some expert panel cardiologists from the recent American College of Cardiology meeting have at times been less than competent, or have been influenced by ego issues, or have had conflicts of interest that affected how the ENHANCE study was run and subsequently analyzed. Additionally, there have been allegations that some minutes from meetings held regarding the ENHANCE study were altered or modified long after the meetings were held. Articles about this can be found in the Wall Street Journal at http://blogs.wsj.com/health/?s=vytorin&x=11&y=9 (scroll down to the bottom of the web page first, to read the Vytorin-related articles chronologically). In view of these published reports and information that you have heard and read independently, what is your view of the Vytorin ENHANCE study results and subsequent analysis?
#	Response Date	Other (please specify)
1.	4/22/2008 5:11:00 PM	don't know
2.	4/22/2008 5:14:00 PM	This was a negative study and the conflicts (if any) do not affect the science.
3.	4/22/2008 6:09:00 PM	I can't speak specifically for the ENHANCE study, but the general comment that there are bias issues based on ego and other factors is definitely true in my opinion.
4.	4/22/2008 8:56:00 PM	I believe some of the experts were biased, and conclusions were absurd
5.	4/22/2008 10:03:00 PM	Yes, many COIs
6.	4/22/2008 10:07:00 PM	Regardless of the spin they put on it, the error was in the design of the study. They should have just said that Vytorin is not powerful enough for the study group chosen.
7.	4/22/2008 11:08:00 PM	I suspect that the individuals involved in the study didn't know what to do with the unexpected results and stonewalled. Unfortunately this cast doubt on the study.
8.	4/22/2008 11:33:00 PM	I think we need outcomes data, do vytorin and zetia reduce the risk of MI/death, that's what we care about. This study wasn't very helpful, regardless of the outcome.
9.	4/23/2008 2:11:00 AM	WHEN IS POLITICAL ?
10.	4/23/2008 11:32:00 AM	Not certain based on the information released so far
11.	4/23/2008 1:35:00 PM	These attacks based on innuendo are just more of the media and certain others to attack the pharmaceutical industry.
12.	4/25/2008 12:18:00 AM	The data appear to have been held up to prevent sales impact
13.	5/2/2008 1:52:00 AM	A lot of smoke and very little fire. ENHANCE was no different than most such trials.
14.	5/5/2008 10:15:00 PM	The study has raised issues that need to be further studied