Daily statins vs ‘one-and-done’ gene therapy: India watches a cholesterol shift

India’s cities are hurtling toward an American-style health crisis. As processed food becomes a tap away and urban life grows increasingly sedentary, high cholesterol – once a concern mainly among older, affluent groups – is now showing up across age brackets. Nearly one in three Indians has elevated cholesterol levels, doctors say, and treatment for many begins with a familiar therapy: statins.

A recent Wall Street Journal report spotlighted a new wave of statin alternatives, including gene-editing technologies being tested in the US. While India remains one of the world’s biggest manufacturers and suppliers of affordable generic statins, costly injectables are slowly entering the market.

“Decades of research and clinical trials show statins lower LDL cholesterol reliably and reduce h