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Anti-Smoking Chantix, Zyban Pose Suicide Risk: FDA

Smokers with mental illnesses should avoid them, agency says

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Jul 1, 2009 4:59 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Food and Drug Administration is warning smokers about serious mental-illness risks of two smoking-cessation drugs, as reported suicides among their users increase. Chantix and Zyban must now carry the agency’s strongest warning label, the New York Times reports. The FDA isn’t trying to scare patients, an official says: “You should just be careful.”

The FDA has documented 100 successful suicides and twice as many suicide attempts among users of Pfizer’s Chantix since 2007. Users of GlaxoSmithKline’s Zyban exhibit a similar trend, though to a much lesser extent. It’s unclear why the drugs affect mental health. Nicotine withdrawal is a possibility in some suicide cases, but others involved patients who hadn’t yet stopped smoking.

Chantix and Zyban, must carry the FDA's strongest safety warning over side effects including depression and suicidal thoughts.
Chantix and Zyban, must carry the FDA's strongest safety warning over side effects including depression and suicidal thoughts.   (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, file)
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Stopping smoking is a goal we should all be working towards. We don’t want to scare people off from trying a medication that could help them achieve this goal.
- Curt Rosebraugh, director of
an FDA drug evaluation office

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
psycada
Jul 2, 2009 12:27 PM CDT
My wife and I quit smoking at the same time using Chantix. It worked, but almost cost us our marriage. Chantix fucks the mind up fairly well, and if you're not aware that it's the pill causing the problems, it can create a real mess. Thankfully, the mood effect wore off after a few months and we are still not smoking after 2.5 years.
BeatBlaster
Jul 2, 2009 12:08 PM CDT
Does it pose a suicide risk because people keep smoking after they take it? It can't work for everyone. At least not as intended.
Nxxxx
Jul 2, 2009 7:06 AM CDT
Chantix (or Champix as it's known here) made me nauseous, depressed and didn't reduce the desire to smoke. I don't doubt its efficacy for others, but I was in the 50% who did not benefit from taking it.

 
FDA • pharmaceutical companies • GlaxoSmithKline • Pfizer • smoking cessation • Chantix • women's issues • Zyban

 
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