This was the timely topic debated by Dr Allan Sniderman (protagonist) and Dr Jacques Genest Jr (antagonist) at the ninth internation symposium on atherosclerosis, October 7, 1991, in Chicago-Rosemont, Illinois. Dr Maurice Mishkel, Professor Emeritus and founder of the McMaster Lipid Research Clinic moderated the event which was made possible by an educational grant from Sandoz Canada.