Chantix Suicide Side Effects Lead to Stronger Warnings for Canadian Version of Drug
Published: January 7th, 2009 • Comments: 7
Health Canada has issued a reminder about the potential suicide side effects associated with Champix, the Canadian version of the stop-smoking drug Chantix. Suicides and other psychiatric side effects have led the drug regulatory agency to request stronger warnings for consumers.
Chantix and Champix are two brand names for varenicline tartrate, which is manufactured and sold by Pfizer. The drug is marketed as Champix in Canada and Europe and as Chantix in the United States.
It is designed to help people quit smoking by blocking the receptors in the brain which are otherwise stimulated by nicotine. However, psychiatric side effects like suicides, suicide attempts and sudden aggressive behavior have occurred in some users.
On January 6, 2009, Health Canada issued a press release reminding Canadians who are taking or considering the smoking-cessation aid that some patients have experienced feelings of agitation, depressed mood, hostility, changes in behavior, and impulsive or disturbing thoughts of harming themselves or others.
Health Canada urged users and their family members or loved ones to be aware of any unusual thoughts or behavior,and to immediately stop using the drug if they experience any psychiatric side effects. Patients have also been reminded to avoid driving a car or operating hazardous machinery until they are certain Champix does not affect them adversely.
The Canadian drug regulatory agency indicates that they are in the process of working with Pfizer to update the prescribing information on Champix to ensure that this safety information is better conveyed to users.
In the United States, the information on the drug’s warning label about the Chantix suicide risk has been updated several times. In November 2007, the FDA indicated that reports of at least 39 deaths and nearly 500 reports of suicidal thoughts and behavior among Chantix users had been received by the agency.
A number of Chantix lawsuits are currently pending throughout the United States on behalf of users who experienced injury or death which they allege are caused by side effects of Chantix.
Comment by Michel on 28 June 2009:
I recently lost my job due to a side effect from using the product Champix. My patience diminished while I performed my work duitiies.. such as ..resolving customer’s concerns via phone..a few times my methode could have been handled differentely… yet I had no prior history being rude with customers..my review praised me for my customer service level and skills..this is a brief description..there is a union involved but my view of this union is pessimistic.. how do I proceed?
Comment by Rebecca on 16 October 2009:
I took this on 3/24/09 for a week and a half and have had nightmares ever since, The nightmare get so bad sometimes that I wake shaking and crying. I also believe I have depression that hasnt been diganosed that was brought on my this drug, I sleep less because I am scared of what kind of nightmare I will have. This has been on going ever since I took this drug to help me stop smoking, Well I still smoke and will because gosh knows what will happen if I try another stop smoking aid.
Comment by Patricia on 5 November 2009:
My beautiful 22 year old daughter committed suicide 4 October 09. She was taking champix.
Comment by Jason on 6 January 2010:
I took it for about a month, and have never been the same since. I cannot sleep steadily, I’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts ever since… as a result of repeated bouts of depression I have trouble holding a job. I still think about suicide everyday even a year later.
Comment by antony on 19 February 2010:
IVE BEEN ON CHAMPIX FOR 10 DAYS NOW AND HAVE NOT WON THE LOTTERY, I KNOW LETS BLAME CHAMPIX.
Comment by Mark on 10 March 2010:
I took Champix for 6 weeks, and picked a day to stop smoking. I stopped on the date I had set and discontinued the Champix.
I had already had vivid nightmares and was scared to go to bed at night. The nightmares continued even though I had stopped taking it.
I had suicidal and homicidal thoughts when I was trying to go to sleep.
By the fourth day I wanted to kill myself and anyone else, with no particular person in mind.
This led to me activley searching to buy a gun.
Fortunatly, I was able to realize that it was the drug talking and not me.
To cut a long story short, one visit to the doctor and 3 hours in the local emergency dept leading to hospitalization.
Comment by David on 10 March 2010:
It is too bad that they still sell the Chamtix with the bad side effects especially feelings of suicide. It is not worth risking suicide to stop smoking and the stop smoking will probably not work unless you want to quit and rid yourself of addition. Quitting is hard to do so you need to force yourself to remember everytime you have an urge to smoke to avoid the cigarette.