Last year I sent a letter to Therapeutics Initiative, University of British Columbia, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in response to their report on "Lipid Lowering Therapy." So far they have not deigned to respond to me. Niacin is not patentable for lowering cholesterol. It could have been patented in 1954 but the Government of Saskatchewan, for whom I was working, would not permit me to do so. Had I been wiser and more experienced I would have done so anyway. The commercial drugs are all patented, owned by a drug company and are fiercely and fearlessly promoted and defended. I felt that the text of this letter would be of interest to JOM readers.