(a) whether as per the study published in the medical journal `Lancet` the side effects of Aspirin
taken as a medicine to prevent heart attacks and strokes by healthy people may be dangerous; and
(b) if so, the findings thereof and the reaction of the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a) & (b): As per the report published in Lancet, in primary prevention without previous disease (i.e. in healthy
individuals), aspirin is of uncertain net value as the reduction of serious vascular events needs to be weighed
against any increase in major bleeds. In the secondary prevention trials,aspirin allocation yielded a greater
absolute reduction in serious vascular events with a non-significant increase in hemorrhagic stroke but
reductions of about a fifth in total stroke and in coronary events.However, its daily use can result in
side effects like gastrointestinal bleeding etc. Therefore, Aspirin for primary prevention should be used
with caution.