Sunday, February 3, 2008
FDA Says Connection Between Chantix & Serious Psychiatric Problems "Increasingly Likely"
Article on cnn.com -- FDA wary of Pfizer anti-smoking drug. Here's an excerpt:
Government regulators said Friday the connection between Pfizer's anti-smoking drug Chantix and serious psychiatric problems is "increasingly likely."
The Food and Drug Administration said it has received reports of 37 suicides and more than 400 of suicidal behavior in connection with the drug. In November, the agency began investigating reports of depression, agitation and suicidal behavior among patients taking the popular twice-daily pill.
The agency's announcement comes two weeks after Pfizer added stronger warnings to the drug. In doing so, the company stressed that a direct link between Chantix and the reported psychiatric problems has not been established, but could not be ruled out.
These findings come as no surprise to me, given the over 140 comments on my original post about Chantix in November 2006. Those comments detail terrible tales of people's difficulty with this drug. No other post on the Mass Tort Litigation blog has generated so much feedback from potential plaintiffs. And those posts started nearly immediately and have continued steadily nearly every day.
BGS
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/mass_tort_litigation/2008/02/fda-says-connec.html
Comments
any personal experience with this stop smoking prescription drug Chantix from Pflizer ? I was given a prescription for smoking cessation about 1 year ago, but was afraid to take the new Chantix.
Posted by: chantix-Pflizer-stop-smoking-drug | Apr 19, 2008 9:52:35 AM
Pleasure blocking drugs like Chantix and depression anti-addiction pills and depression using Chantix ? Risk of depression dims hopes for anti-addiction pills. for 2 years, scientists had high hopes for new pills that would help people quit smoking, lose weight and maybe kick other tough addictions like alcohol and cocaine.
The pills worked in a new way, by blocking pleasure centers in the brain that provide the feel-good response from smoking or eating. These drugs, chantix / champtix being one, may now also be blocking the other pleasure feelings. In some cases increasing the potential of depression and suicide.
Posted by: Chantix-quit-smoking | Apr 29, 2008 12:45:39 PM
So, the big question is, "where can I join a class action lawsuit?" Chantix has just about ruined my life. If there are no actions ongoing, how do I get one started?
Posted by: VH | May 5, 2008 5:27:16 PM
I took chantix and had a severe reaction that caused me to go to the hospital from having a toxic reaction. I was vomiting, had diahrrea, was crying and shaking. I was fearful of what I was going to have to do to stop feeling that way. I felt like just dying. I alos tested positive for hepatitis and had no risk factor for having contracted it. I have since found out that I do not have hepatitis, but lived for months thinking my life was over. I have found out this may be linked to Chantix. I reported all of this to pfizer. They sent me a letter wanting more info on side effects and have not heard anything else from them. This drug needs to be taken off of the market before it kills more people. I consider myself lucky that I lived through it.
Posted by: theresa murach | Oct 18, 2008 9:57:28 AM
Chantix is still my nightmare and i survived a suicide attempt a year ago. I am 49 years old with no history of depression or mental health issues. I had lost 45 pounds was working out 5 times a week and was happy, feeling great, getting ready to go back to school. The sensible thing was to stop smoking. My friend told me about chantix and how great it worked for him so I was excited to use it. Within days I was physically ill in bed for 4 days with a flu, sinus infection and bronchitis, I thought I was gonna die. I only used for a month, thank God! I did not quit smoking with it and thought it silly to buy more, it is very expensive. My life went down the toilet, everything changed and the depression and hopelessness was so severe I thought death was the only way out. Something in you changes forever when you survive a suicide attempt. The lasting damage is there physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I still struggle each day, and my health is still not back to what it was when I started taking it. I am a part of one of these class actions and I hope that Pfizer shells out their 800 million profit to us. Big pharma keeps getting richer at the expense of our well being.
Posted by: lojo | Jun 17, 2009 11:46:39 PM
Chantix has the active ingredient Vareniciline titrate that works in the nicotine affected parts of the brain and provides some effects of nicotine to ease the withdrawal symptoms. It also blocks the effects of nicotine from cigarettes on resumption of smoking. However, Chantix doesn't have any addictive features of nicotine.
-jomie-
Posted by: Crystal meth effects | Aug 2, 2009 8:22:58 PM
I lost my job after taking chantix do to the side-effects
Posted by: tim potts | Aug 10, 2009 2:18:20 PM
I was prescribed chantix to try and quit smoking this past year.
I became extremely nauseous, and experienced personality changes that had I continued to use this medication beyond one week. I believe would have caused me serious mental and physical harm.
I called the makers of this drug and they gave me NO warnings of the psychological changes I would encounter. I find this reprehensible and wrong. Negligently criminal in fact when they provide a phone number to call if and when adverse side effects occur as a result of using their medication.
Scincerely,
Anthony M Zbikowski
Posted by: anthony m zbikowski | Feb 6, 2008 7:19:02 AM