4 January 2008

National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) advises people wishing to take the new drug varenicline (Champix) to help them quit smoking, to be aware of the possible side effects and to discuss any concerns they have with their doctor or pharmacist.

Available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 January 2008 varenicline (Champix) is a new non-nicotine drug that may help people to quit smoking.

Dr John Dowden of NPS alerts people who want to quit smoking that medicines may help but they are not an instant cure. “It takes will power, persistence and support for people to change their behaviour,” he said.

“You have to want to quit – that is the key. It often takes more than one attempt to be successful, even with all the best support and medicines. If the first attempt doesn’t work, try again. It is worth it.

“There are many ways to quit smoking and different methods work for different people,” he said.

People who intend to use varenicline should be aware that like all medicines, it can have side effects. Sometimes the side effects are serious but most of the time they are not. “Varenicline is a new drug, so there may be side effects which are not yet known”, explained Dr Dowden.

Nausea, or a feeling of wanting to be sick, affects about one in three people who take varenicline. Other common adverse effects include insomnia, abnormal dreams, headache and constipation.

During the time that it has been available overseas, some individuals using varenicline have experienced depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or aggressive and erratic behaviour. These reports included people both with and without pre-existing psychiatric illness. While varenicline may have caused these symptoms as a rare side effect, they may also be related to stopping smoking.

Dr Dowden said people should read the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) sheet about this medicine or any medicine that is new to them. The CMI is available from doctors and pharmacists.

The PBS will subsidise one course of varenicline per patient per year.

The reviews will be published online on 7 January 2008, in Medicine Update, a newsletter forconsumers  and in NPS RADAR, a drug bulletin for health professionals.

Medicine Update helps answer some of questions that are commonly asked about medicines when they first become available through the PBS.

ENDS

National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.