Dr. Skip's Medical Peer Review Blog: Aggressive New Recommendation for Warding Off Heart Disease in Some Children

Friday, July 11, 2008

Aggressive New Recommendation for Warding Off Heart Disease in Some Children

By now, most people in the medical profession are aware of the American Academy of Pediatric’s recommendation for wider cholesterol screening for children and more aggressive use of cholesterol-lowering drugs for kids, starting as early as age eight. The controversy of the recommendation stems from the fact that the AAP’s statement comes from mere speculation of how statins work in adults. According to an article in The New York Times, AAP’s doctors believe that statins will function the same in children as they do in adults, a speculation that is absent of any evidence-based medicine and clear data.

The importance of evidence-based medicine is clear in this controversial mishap. Just two days after issuing the recommendation, AAP retracted the statement, offering apologies for unclear thinking and lack of evidence-based medicine. Relying on evidence-based medicine is a sure-fire way to make the best decisions for a treatment. An independent review organization bases its decisions and recommendations on evidence-based medicine in order to determine medical necessity and increase patient safety.

Read the initial article about the American Academy of Pediatric’s recommendation