UK heart patients to get omega-3 on prescription?

The UK's health service watchdog has advised that heart attack patients may be given omega-3 supplements on prescription.

The new guidelines, produced by the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care (NCC-PC) for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), could be seen as a validation of omega-3 supplements for heart health.

However, while no individual brand of omega-3 was named in the guidelines, reports indicate that NICE are considering prescribing the Omacor brand of omega-3 acid ethyl-esters, currently available on prescription in the US and billed as the only FDA-approved omega-3.

The recognition of Omacor could undermine the efficacy of all other omega-3 supplements.

"Patients should be advised to consume at least 7 g of omega 3 fatty acids per week from two to four portions of oily fish. For patients who have had an MI within 3 months and who are not achieving 7 g of omega 3 fatty acids per week, consider providing at least 1 g daily of omega-3-acid ethyl esters treatment licensed for secondary prevention post MI for up to 4 years," state the guidelines.

NICE also stated that patients should avoid supplements containing beta-carotene, as well as antioxidant supplements containing vitamins C and E. They also should be advised against taking folic acid supplements.

Bonnie - on the heels of a recent blog about the Omacor brand of fish oil, now this. This is what the EU is doing now with dietary supplements. Forget about the decades of successful use with freely available brands of fish oil, let's only make available one brand by prescription and increase the price five-fold. In addition, it just so happens that Omacor contains the excipient partially hydrogenated oil (a trans fat). On top of it, let's dissuade these patients from taking supplemental folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta carotene. Brilliant!