A little more on the trial

When the background information leading up to the libel trial was released to us, there was one trail of e-mails that struck me as very damning. It emerged that Barney Calman was very keen to find case histories where people had stopped taking statins and then suffered a catastrophic event, such as a heart attack […]

Jan 14, 2025 - 10:49
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A little more on the trial

When the background information leading up to the libel trial was released to us, there was one trail of e-mails that struck me as very damning. It emerged that Barney Calman was very keen to find case histories where people had stopped taking statins and then suffered a catastrophic event, such as a heart attack or stroke, or dying. This ‘stopping statins and dying’ concept was pretty much central to the articles.

Barney Calman asked a Samantha Brick (no idea who she is) to find case histories. Real life stories are always considered to be very powerful by the mainstream media. Which they are. Barney also told her she could offer people money to people who came forward with tales to tell.

Unfortunately for him, the only two case histories she got hold of were people who had started taking statins, and then died. [I believe the information has been sufficiently anonymised so that no-one can work out who these two people were. Although they are already in the public domain, in the court documents bundle, so I am revealing nothing here that is not already open for scrutiny].

The first case concerns a young woman who was put on a statin. Then died from liver failure. Liver failure is a known, although relatively rare, serious adverse effect of statins1.  The second case is less clear cut, but also seems to point directly to a statin ‘caused’ death. [I have tidied up the e-mails a bit to make them easier to read but I have not changed any of the words used].

From: SAMANTHA BRICK [mailto:samantha.brick@btinternet.com]

Sent: 25 February 2019 18:29

To: Barney Calman

Subject: possible statins case studies – both died after stopping them*

External Sender~~

Hi Barney,

These 2 replied to my £500 alert. I can probably reduce them to £200 each if you use them both. They are quite similar though in terms of what happened. I’m not sure if this is what you’re after? 39, married mum of two who lives in North London. She lost her sister 16 months ago.

She says:

My sister was 39 when she was prescribed statins. She was a mum of 4 and worked as a manager of a dairy company. When she was diagnosed with high cholesterol, she was advised to change her diet and exercise. Her Dr also told her to take Fluvastatin. She was reassured that even with her busy lifestyle it would lower her high cholesterol.

She took the tablet as prescribed for six months. She began to vomit a lot and had pain in her chest. On more than one occasion she called an ambulance. Each time she was admitted to hospital she was told there was nothing wrong with her heart.

The vomiting episodes began to increase. She was eventually diagnosed with a fatty liver. She stopped taking the statins on the doctor’s advice (a month before she died) and went to see her brother who lives in Berlin. There she was admitted to hospital. By now she still struggled to keep food down and was fed via a tube She was in hospital for a fortnight when she suffered a stroke and died.

This was 16 months ago. The whole family were devastated because her demise came out of the blue. She’d never had problems with her liver beforehand.

————————————————————————————————————————-

Lady 30, is married mum of one who lives in London (waiting on a picture of her with her dad).

She says:

My Dad died two years ago after he had stopped taking statins. (just waiting to find out exactly which ones he was taking) He’d had a heart by-pass in 1998 and was prescribed simvastatin afterwards. He’d been taking others since. He’d been taking them for over 16 years without – seemingly – any problems.

During that time, he’d call ambulance because of pain in his chest. But he was discharged each time without issues. He was also diabetic and taking medication for that. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with liver problems. Straightaway he told to stop taking the statins. At the time he was also throwing up and struggling to keep food down.

Mum would try to feed him jelly or mashed potato but he couldn’t keep it down eventually he was admitted to hospital and was fed via a tube.

While he was in hospital the focus was on the issue with his liver (need to confirm what this was –she thinks that they had to drain fluid from it – will know overnight). While the investigations into the liver problems were carried out, Dad had a heart attack and died.

He’d been on the tablets for years – was it stopping them that caused this. Or were they behind everything that snowballed. I’m worried because my mum also takes statins for her health too – she is on avastatin (I assume atorvastatin). They were married for 50 years mum is still grieving.

Samantha Brick

My book: “HeadOver Heels in France” is out now

Twitter: @samanthabrick

Instagram: Sammy brick

Facebook: Sam Brick

*this e-mail should have read. Both died after taking them.

In the first case I think it is clear cut that this young woman died as a direct result of statin induced liver toxicity. The second case is a little more confused, but the history of throwing up and struggling to keep food down is identical to that of the young woman. Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting are well recognised symptoms of liver failure. It is also known that it can take months, or years, for statins to cause liver failure. [The final ‘event’ in liver failure is often a cardiovascular event].

Unfortunately for him, the case histories Barney Calman received totally contradicted his argument. At this point you would think Barney may have taken stock. He had two case histories, and two deaths, both almost certainly caused by statins. And it gets worse.

It’s not as if he didn’t understand what he was reading. To use his own words. ‘We’ve had two quite dramatic stories of patients who have been taken off statins by their doctors because of developing serious liver problems, and then died.’ So, he can’t claim he didn’t see them Or, that he failed to understand what he was reading.

But the very next day, he took it away and redoubled his efforts.

From: Barney Calman

Sent: Tue, 26 Feb 2019 08:44:40 +0000From: “Barney Calman” To: “Fiona Fox” , “Rory Collins” , “Colin Baigent” , “samanin@bhf.org.uk” , “Sever, Peter S” ,

“Liam Smeeth” CC: “Greg Jones” Thread

To: Fiona Fox Rory Collins Colin Baigent samanin@bhf.org.uk Sever, Peter S Liam Smeeth

Cc: Greg Jones

Sensitivity: Normal

Dear all, thank you again for all your input into this article so far. I wanted to readdress the issue of finding a case study. One of the key factors in your collective argument is that criticism of statins discourages use amongst high-risk patients, and this is a public health threat.

Since putting calls out we have been inundated by stories of people who have stopped taking statins and felt far healthier (I put this comment in bold). We’ve had two quite dramatic stories of patients who have been taken off statins by their doctors because of developing serious liver problems, and then died. The families themselves both naturally question whether statins caused the problems. What we haven’t had is a single story which backs your thesis (I put this comment in bold) and obviously I’m concerned.

I think it makes us look rather weak to use a very historic story about Clinton [Bill Clinton stopped his statin then had a heart attack]. What I do not want this piece to be is simply another exercise in singing to the choir and I fear without a real-life example, we may be veering towards it all just seeming like scary theories and doctors saying ‘because I said so.’

What has struck me is that the reason Kendrick, Malhotra, Harcombe and their ilk have really struck a chord is because they are great, emotive communicators. What we’re offering is a chance for you all to be that too, and we are planning to devote an unprecedented amount of space to this.

Have any of you heard a real-life example of someone who has suffered a heart attack or stroke because they declined/quit statins because they thought they didn’t really work anyway, or similar? I really want us do everything we can to make this work. Please do ALL let me know asap today your thoughts about how to move forward. BC

_________________

Barney Calman

Health & Lifestyle Content Director

Mail on Sunday

As you can see, in addition to his two incompatible case histories, Barney was also ‘inundated’ with stories about people giving up statins then feeling far better. Concerns, he still had none.  He only had eyes on the prize.

And what of glorious professors, such as Professor Peter Sever, who had proven themselves so eager to assist Barney in putting together his libellous articles. Did he feel the slightest nagging doubt at this point. Nope, nothing of the sort. In fact, this is what Professor Peter Sever had to say

From: Sever, Peter S

Sent: Tue, 26 Feb 2019 09:20:05

To: Colin Baigent Barney Calman Fiona Fox Rory Collins samanin@bhf.org.uk Liam Smeeth

Cc: Greg Jones

Subject: Re:

Sensitivity: Normal

External Sender~~

I’m afraid I disagree [Professor Baigent had argued against using case histories, as they were not scientific].

We (my bold) are not trying to convince a scientific audience. This is a communication to the public and they are influenced by case reports and anecdotes whether we like it or not. This is precisely why our opponents* are so successful.

If we are to be successful in countering their claims I’m afraid we have to play by their rules. I’m all for scientific integrity as Colin and Rory opine but this doesn’t work when dealing with the public

Look how many scientific reports have countered the Wakefield claims with so little effect. May I remind you that we all use case reports to illustrate optimal treatment strategies when are teaching. Perhaps not a perfect analogy but not far off!

I support Barney’s point and think we should find a case report (or two!)

Barney what is the timeline?

Regards

Peter**

*note the use of the words our opponents. Yes, ‘our’ opponents. This e-mail was sent to Barney Calman, amongst others. So, whose side do you think Barney Calman is seen to be on? I also made the word ‘we’ bold in the text.  At one point during the hearing our barrister asked the question, ‘who is, or are, ‘we’ in this case? Yes, you can damn your defence without even realising you are doing so. It is difficult to claim you are writing a personal opinion piece when your collaborators are using terms such as ‘we’ and ‘our’. And they are including you. Whose opinion is it anyway?

**note how friendly they have all become

Of course I knew, or suspected, that discussions like this had been going on in the background. I did not know who all the collaborators were. However, Barney did let me know, on the 1st of March 2019 that a critical article was going to be published, naming me. I had less than 24 hours to respond. One part of my reply was – as follows.

‘Listen, we all know where this attack is coming from. The CTT* and Professor Rory Collins and Baigent et al. They attacked Aseem Malhotra and Professor Abramson, then the BMJ, for publishing articles by Aseem and Abramson suggesting statins caused adverse effects in around 20% of people. Collins attacks were severe, and the BMJ was require to hold an investigation, in which Collins attacks on these papers were judged to be unfounded.’

*The Cholesterol Treatment Triallists Collaboration in Oxford. Headed by Collins and Baigent, among others.

As it turns out, I was bang on the money. Which was not difficult. These two lash out at anyone, or anything, who dares criticize statins in any way. It was Collins who first came out with the ‘worse than Andrew Wakefield and the MMR scare’ meme. If he wasn’t the first, he sure uses it a lot. Be careful about the language you use, for it can come back to bite you on the backside.

Next time. Let me have a think. So much to choose from. And, oh, by the way. How are things going Rory and Colin? [I have been told that they read my blog – through gritted teeth].

1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548067/#:~:text=(Review%20of%20safety%20of%20statins,and%200.04%25%20with%20placebo).

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