Sympathy must be felt for those people that were uneccessarily worried about having or likely to develop CHD at some stage in the future. It is applaudable that scientists are still heavily conducting research in this area of medicine, and that such an issue has been detected. However, I do not agree with the BMJ study’s argument that the original measure used was, in fact, ‘flawed’. The fact that particular factors had been initially overlooked in the system of CHD assessment does not mean that mistakes were necessarily made, as ‘flaw’ implies. It is a welcome development that the method of assessment has been now revised taking such factors into account. There is a further important issue at stake; will those people who had to buy medicines, to tackle the purported heart condition which did not materialise, be compensated for the expenditure incurred? The answer can be provided on the same breath; of course not. Instructions on the administering of drugs should also be standardised.

Marcin Roth, London , UK

Since when have Doctors ever got anything right? I know far more people incorrectly diagnosed than correctly, or not diagnosed at all. I'd have to be near death before I'd trust one. Have you ever met these people socially? I'd advise that you all get to know at least one you'll soon change your mind about them. They are mostly self-obsessed.

judy, Liverpool, england

I am a 62 years old male and for the last two yeras our health system has me in its grip. Having been prescribed one set of drugs that was increased to two. No problem as it started to lower a raised bllod pressure. I was then tol I required a cholestrol teast wich gave reading of 17% chance of CVD in the next ten years. Statins were prescribed. Howevr the side effects seem huge. I am now told by NICE that the rigger for Statins is 20%. There are also natural solution to raised cholestrol porridge - fish oil tablets etc. None of this was mentioned. The whole business seems far from perefect.

Mike J Bamford, West Yorks,

I am a 62 years old male and for the last two yeras our health system has me in its grip. Having been prescribed one set of drugs that was increased to two. No problem as it started to lower a raised bllod pressure. I was then tol I required a cholestrol teast wich gave reading of 17% chance of CVD in the next ten years. Statins were prescribed. Howevr the side effects seem huge. I am now told by NICE that the rigger for Statins is 20%. There are also natural solution to raised cholestrol porridge - fish oil tablets etc. None of this was mentioned. The whole business seems far from perefect.

Mike J Bamford, West Yorks,

Yours and the Guardians headlines are unnecessarily sensationalist. I have recently been prescribed statins by my GP but although heart disease was mentioned, the main message was that statins would simply reduce the risk that anything serious might happen. What is more surprising is the almost complete absence in media coverage of the somewhat controversial view of the beneficial effects of statins. I am still trying to get hold of a copy of 'Cholestrol Myths: Exposing the Fallacy That Saturated Fat and Cholesterol' but it is rarely mentioned in healh coverage.

William Hudson, Abingdon, UK

Since when has drug prescription been about curing people? I remember seeing on GMTV years ago a Professor who had just retired from the drugs industry and he said they weren't interested in producing cures for anything just drugs that held the problem in abeyance as then they could go on making money year after year. That is the sad reality, shareholders before people's lives every time. Why do you bother even reporting these stories? We all know what these drug companies do to persuade so-called doctors to prescribe their drugs so they can have three skiing holidays a year. Just who are these NHS "doctors" really working for? Takers of the hypocritical oath.

John, Dundee, UK

So the great 'you're at risk of / have heart disease so you must have a daily statin for the rest of your life' scam has been blown. The drug manafacturering companys will be seriously disturbed that their lie has been exposed. For so long they and their generously maintained eminent Medical men who perpetuate the lie have benefited from keeping huge numbers of the trusting UK public dosed up to the eyeballs on these dangerous drugs. Dull witted and naive General Practitioners are their pushers. I'm a GP so I have some experience of what is going on.

Dr R G Allen, Canterbury, UK