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  #1   ^
Old Thu, May-31-07, 07:28
Demi's Avatar
Demi Demi is offline
Posts: 26,664
 
Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
Default NHS given green light to hand out pill to beat smoking

The Independent
London, UK
31 May, 2007


NHS given green light to hand out pill to beat smoking

One month before a nationwide ban on smoking comes in to force in England, the most effective treatment yet found to help people stop smoking has been approved for use on the NHS.

The twice-daily pill, Champix, blocks cravings and withdrawal symptoms by acting on the same brain receptors as nicotine. It also reduces the satisfaction a smoker will get from further cigarettes if they have a relapse.

The treatment has been shown in trials to double success rates at 12 weeks among smokers trying to stop, compared with the alternatives such as nicotine chewing gum and the drug Zyban (buproprion).

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), which issued draft guidance on the treatment to the NHS yesterday, said the drug was "superior to NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) and bupropion in achieving continuous abstinence" and that its use in smoking cessation was "likely to be a cost-effective use of NHS resources."

The green light for the new treatment, which was licensed in December 2006, was given ahead of today's World No Tobacco day and almost exactly month before England imposes a ban on smoking in virtually all enclosed public spaces.

Anti-smoking charities predicted yesterday that the ban would trigger a "significant cultural shift" in attitudes to smoking in England. By 1 July, more than 200 million people will be protected from second-hand smoke at work and in public places around the world, according to the Global Smokefree Partnership.

Smoking bans have been implemented successfully in many EU countries with unexpectedly high rates of compliance. A year after the Republic of Ireland introduced a ban in 2004, the Irish Office of Tobacco Control reported 95 per cent of enclosed public spaces were smoke-free. The Italians surprised everyone, including themselves, when they overwhelmingly complied with a ban introduced in 2005.

Vishnee Sauntoo, campaign manager of the charity No Smoking Day, said: "Because of the impact of the smoke-free legislation throughout the whole of the UK, many smokers are seriously thinking about their lifestyle choices. One in five smokers have said they will quit before the country goes smoke-free."

Champix is the first prescription-only, non-nicotine medicine specifically designed to help people stop smoking. The pill is not a failsafe cure. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and smokers only wean themselves off it with difficulty.

Using willpower alone, fewer than 3 per cent of smokers trying to quit are still smoke-free after a year. Nicotine replacement therapy can increase that success rate to almost 16 per cent, and the drug Zyban to 17 per cent.

Champix, whose chemical name is vareniclene, increases the success rate again to 22.5 per cent. But that still means more than three out of four smokers who take the drug while trying to quit will be smoking again after a year.

In view of the higher success rate, Nice says Champix is cost-effective because of the high risks smoking poses to health and the enormous burden smokers place on the NHS. It is available only on prescription and costs £163.80 for the recommended 12-week course.

One in two current smokers will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases if they do not stop - and a quarter of those will die in middle age.

Nice stressed yesterday that its guidance was subject to appeal, with final approval tabled for July. A spokeswoman for Nice said: "Having looked at all the evidence, our independent committee has concluded varenicline appears to be a good way to help people who want to quit smoking.

"The draft guidance also recommends that varenicline should normally be provided in conjunction with counselling and support but if such support is not available, that should not stop smokers receiving treatment with varenicline."

Pfizer, the manufacturers of Champix, said the most common side-effects were nausea, headache, insomnia and abnormal dreams but in the clinical trials, "these caused very few patients to discontinue treatment".

Research commissioned by the British Thoracic Society and Action on Smoking and Health found a quarter of smokers aged 18-24 said they intended to give up before 1 July and a further quarter planned to quit by July 2008. London is leading the drift away from smoking, with 40 per cent saying they intend to give up before the ban. One in four adults also said they were more likely to go to the pub after the ban took effect.

Lawrence McAlpine, deputy chair of the BTS tobacco committee, said: "With almost four million smokers in England intending to quit in the first year of this momentous law the potential health gain is enormous. This is a major one-off opportunity and the NHS needs to be poised to really drive smoke-free home this summer."

Ways to give up

Varenicline (Champix)


The new option. Comes as a course of tablets lasting 12 weeks with the option of a further 12 weeks for those that are not smoking at the end of the initial treatment. Like NRT and Zyban, it works by reducing the need to smoke caused by loss of nicotine and also makes cigarettes less satisfying. It was launched in the UK in December 2006, is available on prescription and was approved by Nice for use on the NHS yesterday.

Success rate (after one year) 22.5 per cent

Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT)

Usually taken for eight to 12 weeks, these include nicotine chewing gum, skin patches, lozenges, nasal sprays and "inhalators". They can be bought from pharmacists or some shops or obtained on prescription. They are designed to reduce the chemical need to smoke but not to provide the same satisfaction as smoking and so are much easier to come off.

Success rate (after one year) 17 per cent

Bupropion (ZYBAN)

Only available on prescription as a course of tablets lasting around eight weeks. Zyban is safe for most healthy adults but there are side effects, the most serious of which is the risk of seizures, or fits. This risk is estimated to be less than one in 1,000 but other less serious side effects such as insomnia, dry mouth and headaches are more common.

Success rate (after one year) 15.7 per cent

Psychological Support

Aims to strengthen the smoker's motivation and to advise on ways to avoid, escape from or minimise urges to smoke with simple practical strategies. Most GP surgeries either run or can refer smokers to free NHS stop-smoking groups. Most smokers attending these groups will also use medication to maximise their chances of success.

Success rate (after one year) 5 per cent (more if combined with medication)

Individual Support

This may be provided at a GP practice or health centre by a fully trained specialist who is employed by the NHS for this role or a practice nurse, pharmacist or other health professional who has received training and offers stop-smoking advice as well as their other activities. The idea is to give practical advice and support in a non-judgemental manner.

Success rate (after one year) 5 per cent (more if combined with medication)

Will Power

About half of all smokers attempt to give up each year by using will-power. The vast majority - 97 per cent - will end up smoking again by the time a year has passed. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug - it has been compared to heroin in this respect. That is why it is essential to keep on trying. Smoking fewer cigarettes per day, not needing to smoke first thing in the morning and not suffering from mental health problems, or other addictions, are signs of progress.

Success rate (after one year) 3 per cent not smoking.

Source: Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)


http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2600255.ece
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  #2   ^
Old Thu, May-31-07, 11:54
Kisal's Avatar
Kisal Kisal is offline
Never Give Up!
Posts: 14,482
 
Plan: It's anybody's guess!
Stats: 350/250/160 Female 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 53%
Location: Oregon
Default

This is the stuff I'm taking, although the name is misspelled in the article. It's "Chantix."

Today is my last day as a smoker!
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  #3   ^
Old Thu, May-31-07, 12:17
Demi's Avatar
Demi Demi is offline
Posts: 26,664
 
Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kisal
This is the stuff I'm taking, although the name is misspelled in the article. It's "Chantix."

Today is my last day as a smoker!
I expect that the brand name has probably changed for the UK market.

Good luck with giving up smoking

You may already know about it, but quitnet.com is a great site to go to plug in your stats and watch your progress as a non-smoker. It's something that I found really helpful when I was giving up.
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  #4   ^
Old Thu, May-31-07, 12:23
Kisal's Avatar
Kisal Kisal is offline
Never Give Up!
Posts: 14,482
 
Plan: It's anybody's guess!
Stats: 350/250/160 Female 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 53%
Location: Oregon
Default

Yes. I was just over on Quitnet and discovered that it's called Champix in the UK and Canada. My error.
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