Keeping the Faith Despite Black Box Warning for Chantix Suicide

Washington, DCThere is no doubt that Chantix works for some. But even those who credit Chantix for helping them kick the nicotine habit admit to thoughts of suicide and various other Chantix side effects. Chantix warnings last month included a new black box warning for Chantix and suicide.

The manufacturer of Chantix, meanwhile said in a conference call earlier this month that Chantix is a "very good product."

In the four years since Pfizer's Chantix hit the market, the drug has been vilified for a host of potential side effects that includes suicide ideation and aggression. Many users have reported vivid and disturbing dreams.

However, it is the suicide ideation and actual suicides linked to the drug that motivated the US Food and Drug Administration last month to tag Chantix with a black box warning, and doctors are advised to closely monitor their patients.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned commercial pilots and air traffic controllers from using Chantix.

But Chantix still has its fans. Even though sales of Chantix decreased 30 percent in 2008 when compared with a year earlier (Wall Street Journal, July 1st 2009), varenicline still commanded a 91.2 percent market share last year, according to IMS Health (Philadelphia Inquirer, August 1yth 2009)

And Frank D'Amelio, the Chief Financial Officer for Pfizer said in a recent conference call sponsored by BMO Capital Markets, that the company still has faith in Chantix despite the setbacks.

"If you look at Chantix—Chantix sales, since we had the label changes in 2008—we had the three label changes that clearly adversely affected the rhythm of that product and the revenue trending that we were getting. We still think that's a very good product. We think, as we work with doctors and patients on the benefits of quitting smoking, we think there's still opportunity there."

Contributors to the Wall Street Journal Health Blog also expound the virtues of Chantix in helping them quit smoking, although many admit to suffering from Chantix side effects.

Michael B. Davis wrote that he smoked for 35 years and stopped after using Chantix for a month. As of August 11th he hadn't had a cigarette in five weeks and was "feeling great." However, his road to freedom from nicotine came with a price. He writes that he suffered severe stomach pains right after taking Chantix, as well as "the most outrageous dreams I've ever had."

Davis also admitted to "thought about suicide a few times, but as you can see I never got that far…"

Others haven't been quite so lucky.