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U.K.: 10 Champix users commit suicide
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For the first time, the British government has released safety statistics on the Pfizer smoking cessation med Champix, known as Chantix in the U.S. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) released figures showing that 10 Champix patients committed suicide, and a total of 24 died.
Another 213 reported suicidal thoughts and 407 said they'd become depressed while taking the drug. The MHRA said that the number of reported adverse events on Champix almost doubled to 3,541 in September from 1,811 in February. The number of people using the med grew as well, but current news reports contained no stats on scrip numbers.
There's no proven causal link between the deaths--suicides or no--and Champix. And there's been no proof that the med caused the psychiatric symptoms; as Pfizer has previously emphasized, smokers trying to quit often do get depressed. Nevertheless, experts worry that Champix may cause depressive thoughts and mood swings in some susceptible people. And the drugs watchdog is warnings doctors and nurses to monitor Champix patients, especially over New Year's, when many people typically try to kick their tobacco habits.
As you know, Chantix has drawn scrutiny in the U.S. for reports of similar psychiatric symptoms. Reports of erratic behavior among Chantix patients prompted the FAA to ban pilots and air traffic controllers from taking the drug. And in Europe, the EMEA ruled that the med needed safety warnings about suicide and depression on its label, which Pfizer added in February and updated in July.
- see the story in The Daily Mail
Related Articles:
GSK offers pilots a Chantix alternative
32,000 veterans to get Chantix warning
Suicide widow sues Pfizer over Chantix
FDA: Chantix may pose psych risks
FDA gets 5,000 Chantix complaints
'Erratic' behavior triggers Chantix probe
Comments
By John R. Polito | Posted 9:40am | November 11, 2008
This story asserts that, "There's no proven causal link between the deaths--suicides or no--and Champix." Here in the U.S., on April 1, 2008 FDA "Patient Safety News" posted a video clip at the FDA website in which its spokesman opens by asserting, "Chantix has been linked to serious neuropsychiatric problems, including changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation and suicide." The spokesman notes that, "As reports accumulate the link to the drug does get stronger and stronger." Here in the U.S. Chantix/Champix has recorded more reports of serious injury than the top ten best selling prescription drugs combined. What's most troubling is that in the only known head-to-head clinical trial competition with replacement nicotine that there was no significant difference in either 6 month or 1 year point prevalence quitting rates. If true and no better than NRT why risk serious injury or death?
By Erin | Posted 2:49pm | January 23, 2009
I am going through this right now. My mother started Champix a month ago we are from Canada. When she gets better Pfizer better watch out because a law suit will be filled. I can't believe a pill like this is allowed on the market. It has not only changed my mother for the rest of her life but everyone who knows her.
By Chris Holmes | Posted 11:08am | December 3, 2009
I've been inviting comments from Champix Chantix users on my blog for well over a year, and these are certainly not isolated cases. some of them are absolutely heartbreaking, and in many cases the sufferer says they were not warned by their doctor about serious side-effects, which raises the question: what are doctors being told?
The official numbers being reported are only the tip of the iceberg, most bad reactions are not translating into official complaints. How many people will demand that their doctor lodges a formal complaint? Many people just assume they were 'unlucky' because they have no idea of the scale of this global Champix experiment and how many people are suffering as a result of it.
For more personal accounts see www.truthwillout.co.uk The Champix contributions are in the blog section under champix chantix.
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