Ever since the concept of the ‘polypill’ was introduced,1 2 it has maintained an almost magical hold over the lay press and many healthcare professionals. Entering the term into a search engine gives a rich yield of results, and the polypill has a presence on social media favourites including Twitter, Facebook and Wikipedia. With the announcement of another trial last month, the polypill is back in the news.3 Does it really deserve such hype?

The argument proposed in favour of a polypill is seductive – a single pill to reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Those in favour …