Bile acid sequestrants and fenofibrate trials showed no cardiovascular benefit despite reducing LDL cholesterol.

“the lipid research clinic trial that used the bile acid burning resins for some of the major ones and the fennel fiber a trial was another major one and they showed no benefit they showed a reduction in LDL cholesterol perhaps not to 30 to 50 percent probably in the range of about 15% and there was no reduction enormous amounts of money was being spent and people were really getting dejected and saying that hey cholesterol may not be the answer here and heart disease until the statins came about”