According to Los Angeles times, last week more than two dozen accidents were reported to the Food and Drug Administration. The researchers at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a nonprofit drug-safety group, linked these traffic mishaps with the potential side effects of the anti-smoking drug Chantix, such as seizures.
Since, the drugs approval in May 2006 the researchers have got reports of various, serious health problems associated with Chantix use, including loss of consciousness, mental confusion, dizziness, muscle spasms, vision loss, heart rhythm disturbances, severe skin reactions and diabetes.
In the study, researchers looked at the hundreds of adverse reports with Chantix-associated health problems, that had been submitted to the drugs maker company, Pfizer Inc. which then forwarded them to the FDA. In the report over 170 accidental injuries were cited.
The Federal Aviation Administration has banned the use of anti-smoking drug, Chantix by airplane pilots and flight controllers immediately after the study was published last Wednesday.
On Thursday, the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that motor vehicle drivers should not use the smoking cessation drug Chantix because of its potential side effects.
Chantix was approved by the FDA in May 2006 to aid smoking cessation. In November 2007, public was first informed of possible psychiatric symptom in FDA's Ongoing Safety Review. The FDA issued a public safety advisory in 2008, that health care professionals, patients, patients' families and caregivers should be alert and monitor for changes in mood and behavior in people taking Chantix.
The symptoms may include anxiety, tension, depressed mood, nervousness, erratic behavior and suicidal thoughts. Individuals who are taking Chantix should report changes in mood and behavior to their doctor immediately. The FDA also advises that people taking Chantix may experience impaired ability to drive or operate heavy machinery.
Over 3.5 million American people have used Chantix, which costs US$130 for one month supply. The anti-smoking pill is prescribed for three to six weeks to help stop smoking.
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