>As for specific vs. general, in fact, there is a broad issue here about whether treatments (not just drugs) are tackling the right thing. Right now, statins are getting looked at from that perspective, but I've heard similar issues in other medical areas as well.

I've had some disturbing experiences in my immediate vicinity (both in the US and here - locations are irrelevant, the M.O. is the same), where people were getting serious ill effects from more expensive drugs. A neighbor was getting some kind of steroids for his knee, allegedly to get it sufficiently usable before the cap can be replaced. He got through a series of hospital and spa stays, minor surgeries, infections and presently is trying to get out of the wheelchair. Another guy was getting something at $200 a pop, which also made him fall asleep in a middle of conversation and lose a job every few weeks because he became too sensitive to both sunshine and cold. Then during a vacation, in Japan, he went to a local doctor who gave him simple lassix, at about $2 a box, which helped much better. When he got home, he explained to his doctor (whom he knew from somewhere familial) what happened, and got lassix again and everything was fine for a while. Then he went to the same practice and they wouldn't let him see this doctor... he sneaked a peek at the screen, and being a fast reader managed to see a note in his file, saying "not to be allowed to see dr. X, prescribes cheap". Third case is an elderly woman who was getting something fancy and expensive from a neurologist, because she was having illusions. My wife got the fine print from the box, and read among the long list of side effects that it "may cause illusions".

Stay healthy.