Kilmer McCully's heart disease theory gains posthumous recognition

Kilmer S. McCully, a Harvard Medical School pathologist known for his controversial theory on heart disease, died on February 21 at the age of 91. He passed away at his home in Winchester, Massachusetts, due to metastatic prostate cancer. His death was not widely reported. In the 1960s and 1970s, McCully proposed that a deficiency in certain B vitamins could lead to high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to hardened arteries. His views challenged the traditional focus on cholesterol as the main risk factor for heart disease. Despite later evidence supporting his theory, he faced severe criticism from his colleagues. As a result of his unpopular stance, McCully was moved to a basement lab and eventually asked to leave Harvard. This made it difficult for him to find new work for many years. Today, his ideas about homocysteine and heart disease are still debated, but they have become more recognized over time.