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Chantix Suicide and Side Effects
Reports of Chantix suicide prompted the FDA to require a black box warning about Chantix side effects to be placed on the smoking cessation drug. Besides the association between Chantix and suicide, the FDA also received a number of Chantix aggression reports.
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Chantix
The first Chantix warnings were announced by the FDA in late 2007 and three months later, the agency said it that there may be an association between Chantix and serious neuropsychiatric symptoms. In June 2007, Pfizer, the manufacturer of Chantix, was required to add a boxed warning about Chantix side effects and the risk of behavior changes, including depression, aggression and attempted suicide.
 The FDA has reported 491 cases of suicidal thinking or behavior, including 420 in the US. And of those, there were 39 suicides, including 34 in the US.
Chantix (varenicline) was approved in 2006 to help people quit smoking. It works by stimulating nicotine receptors in the brain, just as nicotine does, but blocks the nicotine from attaching to the receptors, reducing the pleasurable effects of tobacco as well as the desire to smoke. Because it works on the brain, Chantix may worsen preexisting psychiatric illness or cause a recurrence of past issues. However, some Chantix users who had no history of psychiatric illness and others who did not quit smoking also reported behavior or mood changes, including suicidal thoughts.
 There are also reports of patients experiencing drowsiness that affected their ability to drive or operate machinery. 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 banned the use of Chantix among pilots and air traffic controllers.
A preliminary assessment revealed that many of the cases reflect new-onset of depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and changes in emotion and behavior within days to weeks of initiating Chantix treatment.
Healthcare officials have been notified by the FDA to monitor ALL patients taking Chantix. If you have experienced behavior or mood changes, report it to your doctor and use caution when driving or operating machinery. You might also consider filing a lawsuit if you have experienced any of the following:
- Attempted suicide on Chantix
- Experienced severe Chantix aggression and caused injury to yourself or others
- Suffered severe physical injury as a result of sudden abnormal behavior
- Suffered severe physical injury or death from an accident or fall caused by seizures, black-outs, vision disturbances or other sudden problems
Chantix Lawsuits
Lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer Inc., the maker of Chantix, alleging Chantix side effects caused users to commit or attempt suicide and that Pfizer failed to properly warn users and the medical community about the potential side effects which could increase the risk of suicide or unusual behavior changes. The lawsuits also claim that Pfizer failed to adequately research their medication.
 The parents of Carter Albrecht, who was shot to death in September 2007 just a week after their son began taking Chantix, filed a lawsuit against Pfizer for not disclosing the risks of Chantix or providing adequate warning of possible side effects. According to the Dallas Morning News, Albrecht became violent toward his girlfriend and seemed confused and terrified. He banged violently on the back door of a neighbor's home and the terrified neighbor shot a warning from his rifle that accidentally killed Albrecht.
Many individual lawsuits are being filed nationwide (three lawsuits were filed in New York state court in January, 2010) and all federal Chantix lawsuits have been consolidated in an MDL that is centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
If you have attempted suicide or a loved one has committed suicide after taking Chantix, please click the link below to send your complaint to a lawyer to evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.
Last updated on Aug-23-10 |
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Tasmania, AUSTRALIA: Concerns over Chantix side effects, including suicide and aggression, are not limited to the United States. The smoking cessation drug sold as Champix in Australia has lately come under fire for similar reasons. 
Seattle, WA:"I have never in my life experienced any psychological problems until I took Chantix," says Charlie, who says he tried to commit suicide—twice. "I would like to see Chantix taken off the market right now." 
Horsham, PA: There is mounting evidence that the smoking cessation drug Chantix is linked to unprovoked acts of violence and aggression. 