Statins: Separating evidence from noise
| Sunday, May 31, 2026 |
| 2:20 PM - 2:40 PM |
| Royal Benowa Ballroom |
Overview
Emeritus Prof Jeff Hughes
Details
Statins remain one of the most widely used and evidence-based therapies for cardiovascular risk reduction, yet concerns about adverse effects continue to influence adherence, prescribing decisions and public perception. This session will examine the latest evidence on statin adverse drug reactions, including recent findings from the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ (CTT) Collaboration and other major reviews.
Attendees will explore which reported harms are supported by high-quality evidence, how these findings may influence product information and clinical practice, and the strengths and limitations of relying on randomised controlled trial data alone.
Learning objectives:
• Identify adverse drug reactions causally associated with statins based on current high-quality evidence.
• Discuss how recent evidence may influence product information, prescribing decisions and patient counselling.
• Recognise the strengths and limitations of relying solely on randomised controlled trial data when evaluating medicine safety.
Competency Standards (2016): 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6
Speaker
Emeritus Prof Jeff Hughes
Chief Scientific Officer
Painchek Ltd
Statins: Separating evidence from noise
Biography
Jeff Hughes is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Diagnostics and Therapeutics at Curtin University, and the Chief Scientific Officer and Founder of PainChek Ltd. Jeff has practice in hospital, community, consultant, academic and industry as a pharmacist. He is q former Head, School of Pharmacy, Curtin University (2009-2014). He is a recognised leader in clinical pharmacy practice, education and research. He has received multiple state, national and international professional awards including the PSA 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. Jeff has published over 300 peer-reviewed and professional papers and contributed to 39 books. His passion for innovation has lead him to his recent endeavours to improve pain in people who cannot tell you they are in pain.
