Varenicline is said to be as effective as vapes and more effective than nicotine replacement gum or patches in helping smokers quit their habit, according to NHS England. — dpa
A once-a-day pill that could help tens of thousands of people give up cigarettes and prevent thousands of smoking-related deaths each year will be rolled out on the health service, health officials in the United Kingdom say.
UK National Health Service (NHS) chief executive Amanda Pritchard hailed the drug as a “game changer” ahead of the announcement on Nov 12 (2024).
Varenicline is the generic version of a previously-used branded pill that was withdrawn in 2021 after an impurity was discovered.
It works by tackling nicotine cravings and also helps with withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability and trouble sleeping.
According to NHS England, when the pill is used alongside behavioural support, it can help about one in four people stop smoking for at least six months.
Officials estimate that it could help more than 85,000 people in the UK give up smoking annually over the next five years, as well as prevent up to 9,500 smoking-related deaths.
“This simple, daily pill could be a game changer for people who want to quit smoking and is another vital step in shifting our NHS further towards prevention,” Pritchard said at a keynote speech at the NHS Providers’ Annual Conference and Exhibition in Liverpool.
“Smoking remains one of the biggest public health issues facing the NHS and has devastating impacts on the body from the lungs to the heart, blood and brain, while also increasing risk of cancer, diabetes and stroke.”
The relaunched version of varenicline has been approved as safe by the UK Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
Another drug called cytisine, which tricks the brain into thinking the body has had a cigarette by attaching to the same receptors that nicotine does, is currently being reviewed by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
University College London Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group principal research fellow Dr Sarah Jackson said it was “excellent news” that varenicline is now available again in England.
“Large evidence reviews have consistently found it to be one of the most effective treatments for helping people to stop smoking,” she said. – PA Media/dpa
