Dr Stephen Sinatra

"Cholesterol is really not the villain. I mean, we need it to live. The problem is cholesterol is involved in a repair process. Look, cholesterol is found at the scene of the crime, it's not the perpetrator." ..from the transcript

Almost one million people tuned into science program Catalyst's (994,000) expose of the myth of the dangers of high cholesterol and high saturated fat consumption..The Australian

A leading public health physician is warning the ABC not to air a second program on cholesterol, saying it could result in deaths. This is about anti-cholesterol drugs known as statins, which are widely used in Australia.

The chair of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Medicines has written to the ABC in a private capacity, warning the program might cause people not to take their drugs. ABC News

I am one consumer who spends $41.50 a month on statins, hoping they will keep me healthy. The statins cause me muscle pain on top of the wallet pain. 15 years ago, my mother's doctor stopped taking his statins. Last year, my own doctor stopped as well.

There are regular TV ads warning us not to stop taking our statins.

Lots of my fellow Australians will be waiting for Part II where the Catalyst program will address the issue of the world's most prescribed drug in history.

The Australian Medical Association has said it's time we had this debate.