Is Stop-Smoking Drug A Suicide Risk?

FDA Gives New Scrutiny To Pfizer’s Chantix After Some Patients Claim Suicidal Thoughts

(CBS)  Thirty-three-year-old Amy Garza has smoked since she was 16, trying time and time again to quit.

“I've tried the losenges, I've tried just about anything and everything you can think of,” she said.

She thought she had found a wonder drug this fall: Chantix, the new anti-smoking pill prescribed by her doctor.

Then, Garza said she tried to kill herself, CBS News correspondent Thalia Assuras reports. Garza has a large scar on one wrist to prove it.

“It was like a psychotic breakdown that came out of nowhere,” Garza said.

Garza, who says she’s never been under psychiatric care, blames Chantix, made by Pfizer.

“You really think it was because of this drug?” Assuras asked.

“I do,” Garza said.

Garza isn’t the only one. The FDA is investigating about 100 cases of smokers who had suicidal thoughts after taking Chantix.

It went on the market in 2006. It's the only stop-smoking product that blocks the nicotine receptors in the brain, preventing the buzz that comes from smoking and diminishing withdrawal symptoms. But nicotine withdrawal itself can change behavior. So is Chantix to blame for thoughts of suicide?

“I can tell you there's no scientific evidence establishing a causal relationship between Chantix and these reported events,” said Dr. Ponni Subbiah, vice president of Pfizer’s medical affairs.

Among the four million Americans prescribed the drug, there are big fans. Take David Bowers, a 30-year smoker who went on Chantix after developing Coronary Artery Disease.

“For me, I thought it was a miracle drug,” he said.

Clinical studies show that a year after taking the drug, 23 percent were not smoking. On Zyban, the only other prescription pill available, only 15 percent succeeded.

For now the FDA says the benefits of quitting cigarettes far outweigh the possible risks of taking Chantix. But the agency is still warning that anyone who uses Chantix should be closely monitored.

[jarvisclover]

I need everyone to monitor me. I''ve been on Chantix for 2 months, I plan on going another month and a half at least.

[moosetracks6]

I started Chantix Nov. 15 2007. Because of increasing depression on a maintainance dose of only .5mg twice daily, I am weaning the drug beginning today. The drug is amazing and works well but with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, I don''t feel I can take any further risks with my mental health. Let me know how you do, Jarvisclover

[lazyka]

iv been taking chantix for 7mos, i have been smoke free for two weeks.i have never had any problems with the med im not having any problems other than being around people who smoke i can hardly stand it. just use common sense just like any other medicine.

[str8beth]

Sure you are changing your life. Yes you have a dependency on smoking. But your doctor who prescribed this drug to you should be aware of your behavioral traits. I guess that I feel that they have to throw the blame somewhere besides themselves and this is another good reason for someone to screen lawsuit. I have faith in this drug and will continue this until I can know that I won''t smoke again. I feel good about being able to really smell the roses now. You should be greatful that you can too.

[toddm51]

Heck, I smoked for 32 years, took my Chantix, and have been smoke free for 6 months now. It is a miracle drug.
In my opinion, some folks are just weak, and will not accept blame for themselves. It is America, after all, isn''t it?

[greeneyes222]

There are a number of nasty side effects for this drug. They''re listed on the insert that comes in the package.

My husband experienced several of them (although no thoughts of suicide), and gave up using it.

If it works for some people that''s fine, but doctors really need to explain the potential side effects when prescribing it, so the patient can look for them before it gets to this point. My husband''s doctor never said a word, we''re just in the habit of reading up about everything we take.

As for Pfizer, since they do list the side effects one has to wonder what the results of their trials showed and how they gained FDA approval. All too many new drugs are released and make billions for their makers only to be recalled later. The drug approval system has broken down.

[lasp2]

I was on chantix 6 weeks and quit a 38 year 2 pack a day habit after only 8 days. I''m still smoke free!
You can not drink ANY alcohol with this drug, but that wasn''t a problem for me. It seems the psychotic
behavior is associated with drinking alcohol while taking the drug. For me it was a miracle. My only sideaffect was nausea which is why I quit taking it after only 6 weeks.

[rushman71]

Can anyone provide me the info on how much a perscription to this drug would be. I have been smoking on and off for the past 15 years and wanting to try to quit again at the begining of the year. I have succeeded before by using the patch, but going through some tough times for over the past two years has been more difficult even with the patch on. Some days, I would work with it on all day, take it off, then buy a new pack of cigs. It''s really tough the first week of quiting.

[eferrell2]

I took Chantix for 12 weeks and have been smoke-free for 10 months after smoking for 30 years. I had no side effects, no problems with the drug. I think it is great. There probably are some people who have no business taking the drug, but the same can also be said for every drug out there.

[rf35]

Actually, the medical industry has a vested interest in this drug being pulled from the market. I''m surprised Phiser even went to market with it. Think of the money that will be lost if smokers stop smoking. The taxes that we now pay, the medical costs the media claims we run up, the insurance profits at our expense, and the money we spend on over-priced drugs to supposedly help us quit but don''t work for most. Face it, the tobacco industry is not making the biggest profits from smoking and if America quits, they won''t be the only business feeling the pain. The government and Big Pharma want you to keep smoking...any real cure for the addiction is not in their best interests.

[rf35]

Oops, make that "Pfizer."

[pobutsky]

The active ingredient in Chantix (Varenicline) is based on cytisine, which is derived from Cytisus laburnum (golden rain tree). The leaves of the tree were used as a tobacco substitute during WWII. Cytisine has been used as a smoking cessation drug for decades in Eastern European countries (called Tabex). See article by Etter, Jean-Francois: "Cytisine for Smoking Cessation" in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Volume 166, August 14/28, 2006.

[rf35]

Notice the picture in the "Photo" (not "Video") tab in the article. THIS is what you can eventually expect to see in the tobacco aisle.

[benpita]

I took this drug for three days and had to stop, because it was making me depressed, very depressed. Within a day of stopping, I was back to feeling myself again. The drug store would not take this drug back as I had taken three days worth of the pills. The cost was $120 for 30 days. Now I''m stuck with some really expensive pills and still smoking. Other people I know that took this drug had the same reaction, depression. For someit took several days, others a couple of weeks, but we all had depression from it. I would not recomend this drug to anyone, even people who are not prone to depression.

I think we will hear a lot more negative things about this drug in the near future.

[kennergirl]

That''s one way to quit smoking...killing yourself.

[rf35]

BTW, what ever happened to NicVAX. Must have worked too well.
Quitting smoking costs too much on many levels. Patches, nicotine gum, etc. cost more than cigarettes. Smokers and American tobacco companies spend billions of dollars anually in taxes and penalties. The medical industry makes billions of dollars treating conditions they attribute to smoking. If a "magic bullet" to eliminate smoking ever comes along, there will be some serious damage to a lot of pocketbooks. The owners of those pocketbooks will quickly look elsewhere to restore that lost income. I hope you''re all OK with $25.00 for a six-pack of beer.

[denn034]

On behalf of every smoker in America: Keep on smokin''.