Champix no suicide risk, study finds
9 October 2009
Concerns that the smoking cessation medicine varenicline — brand name Champix — is associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation (having thoughts of suicide) and depression may be allayed by new research from UK health regulators (BMJ, online first).
Researchers reviewed data from the UK general practice database including 80,000 adults prescribed a new course of a smoking cessation product from September 2006 to May 2008. Almost 11,000 of these people were prescribed varenicline.
Compared with users of nicotine replacement therapies, there was a non-statistically significant 12 per cent increased risk of self-harm among varenicline users. There was no evidence of an association with an increased risk of depression or suicidal ideation.
According to a December 2008 Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin, 72 per cent of the 339 adverse reactions reported to the committee were psychiatric in nature, including suicidal and self-injurious ideation (thoughts of suicide and self-harm).
However, the UK database analysis found no clear evidence that the medicine, marketed as Champix in Australia, was linked with an increased risk of self-harm.
Associate Professor Renee Bittoun of the Smoking Cessation Research Unit at the University of Sydney said the findings were clinically important and allayed concerns.
‘It is important to separate the effects of smoking withdrawal such as depression, anxiety and distress from the side effects of the drug, for which there is little evidence of any risk at all,’ she said.
‘The authors also make a valid point that there was a rise in cases when regulatory warnings came out.’
The independent research showed that the overall benefit-risk profile of varenicline was favourable.
| National Helplines | |
|---|---|
| If you or someone you know is depressed and/or having suicidal thoughts, see your doctor, or phone one of these helplines. | |
| Lifeline (24 hours) | 13 11 14 |
| Kids Helpline (under 18 years of age) | 1800 55 1800 |
| Just Ask - rural mental health information | 1300 13 11 14 |
| Mensline Australia (24 hours) | 1300 78 99 78 |
| SANE Helpline - mental illness information, support and referral | 1800 18 SANE (7263) |
Last Reviewed: 09 October 2009
- 1. Gunnel D, Irvine D, Wise L, Davies C, Martin RM. Varenicline and suicidal behaviour: a cohort study based on data from the General Practice Research Database. BMJ 2009; 339: b3805
