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Chantix has been linked to increased risk of suicides. The FDA informed healthcare professionals of reports of suicidal thoughts and aggressive and erratic behavior in patients who have taken Chantix, a smoking cessation product. |
 Chantix Medication
Chantix (varenicline) is a medication used to quit smoking. In November 2007, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) began investigating reports of depression, agitation, and suicidal behavior among patients taking the medicine after they had received reports of 37 Chantix suicides and more than 400 reports of suicidal behavior that may have been linked to Chantix. According to the FDA, a link between Chantix and serious psychiatric complications is becoming progressively probable. Additionally, the drug may worsen preexisting psychiatric illness or cause a recurrence of past issues.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that the use of Chantix may adversely affect a driver's ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle and the FAA has already banned the use of Chantix among pilots and air traffic controllers.
Latest Numbers
The FDA has announced a public health advisory about abnormal behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and actual suicidal behavior with Pfizer’s anti-smoking drug. And has provided updated numbers - 491 cases of suicidal thinking or behavior, including 420 in the US. And of those, there were 39 suicides, including 34 in the US.
Side Effects
- Patients should tell their doctor about any history of psychiatric illness prior to starting Chantix. Chantix may cause worsening of a current psychiatric illness even if it is currently under control and may cause an old psychiatric illness to reoccur.
- Healthcare professionals, patients, patients' families and caregivers should be alert to and monitor changes in mood and behavior in patients treated with Chantix. Symptoms may include anxiety, nervousness, tension, depressed mood, unusual behaviors and thinking about or attempting suicide. In most cases, neuropsychiatric symptoms developed during the use of Chantix but in others, symptoms developed following withdrawal from Chantix therapy.
- Patients taking Chantix should immediately report changes in mood and behavior to their doctor.
- Patients taking Chantix may experience vivid, unusual, or strange dreams.
- Patients taking Chantix may experience impairment of the ability to drive or operate heavy machinery.
If you have attempted suicide or a family member has commited suicide conatct the Steinberg Law Firm P.C. at 888-529-4688 or email andrewsteinberg@lawyer.com.
Consult A Lawyer on Legal Issues
We encourage you to contact us at 888-529-4688 to discuss your Chantix case with an experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney.
| » Fill out this form if you need additional information or want to discuss a potential claim with an attorney. All inquiries are kept strictly confidential. Please e-mail Andrew E. Steinberg* at: andrewsteinberg@lawyer.com for a free, confidential consultation, or call us at 888-529-4688. |
| » If the inquiry is accepted for further review, you will receive a prompt response (usually the same day or by the next business day). |
Consult A Doctor On Medical Issue
The Steinberg law firm does not intend, by this web site or otherwise, to dissuade anyone from taking medication without their doctors' approval. Please consult your doctor, not your lawyer, on matters relating to your health. It could be dangerous to stop taking medicines, especially abruptly. Patients should talk to their physicians to decide whether the benefits and risks of taking Chantix make it the right choice for them.
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