Group items tagged

Generic pharmaceutical company Brown & Burk has announced that it is "the first and the only company" to launch the new anti-smoking pill 'Varenicline' in the UK. Available through NHS stop smoking services, the daily pill has been shown to be as effective as vapes and more successful than nicotine replacement gum or patches in helping smokers quit. When combined with behavioural support, such as counselling, Varenicline was found to help one in four smokers quit for at least six months. The company told Pharmacy Business that its Varenicline 1mg and 0.5mg tablets are being distributed by Teva UK, branded with Brown & Burk's livery. Health secretary Wes Streeting recently highlighted the potential benefits of the pill, stating that its rollout could "save the NHS millions of pounds, save appointments to help other patients be seen faster, and save lives." A study by University College London suggested that Varenicline use could help over 85,000 people try to quit smoking each year, potentially preventing up to 9,500 smoking-related deaths over the next five years.

Tens of thousands of smokers in England will be offered an improved anti-smoking pill by the NHS to help them quit. NHS England has announced the rollout of a new generic version of Champix, called Varenicline, which has been proven to be as effective as vapes and more successful than nicotine replacement gum or patches. When used alongside behavioural support, such as counselling, the daily pill has been shown to help one in four smokers quit for at least six months. NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard called the introduction of Varenicline a "vital step in shifting NHS further towards prevention" and highlighted that it could be a "game-changer" for people who want to quit smoking. Speaking at the NHS Providers annual conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, she emphasised that smoking remains "one of the biggest public health issues facing the NHS."