It's a shame, most of this can be avoided through a proper diet and behavior modification.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Exercise, eat fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins. How hard is that? Wait ..... what am I saying? Taking care of ourselves is too hard! Lets just spend huge amounts of money instead!

Isn't Red Rice Yeast the same thing as Lipitor?

Can't wait for another 50 years when medicine realises that cholesterol isn't the big bad wolf of a problem that they think it is... all of this money down the drain. And I second the comments about diet & exercise.

whenever I see a statin commercial and hear, "[drug] may not reduce the risk of heart disease," and then all the OTHER side effects...

why would I want to take this?

Fairly healthy people, falling for drug company propaganda, instead of finding health, are finding out the hard way that drugs (for the most part) are intended solely as a means to enrich drug companies (shareholders), not ingredients for healthy living.
Lipitor has been a really good drug company enricher, making Pfizer around $10 billion this year, alone.
We don't hear much about all the unwitting victims of statin drugs, who are suffering from everything from muscle problems (I've fallen and I can't get up!), heart and liver problems, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances and even sudden death. How's that for a substance that purportedly "helps" one?
The best policy is to "Just Say No!"--to prescription drugs. You'll be much better off, in the long run.

Those believing it is simply a matter of diet and exercise should read up on the subject before commenting too firmly.

[www.google.com]

@consumer_999: You know, posting the google url does not substitute for an argument. Are we to infer that you're well read on the subject but just can't be bothered tro post a few sentences to support your position?