Chantix Alert

Anti-Smoking Drug May Be Harmful To Your Health!

If you are a current or former smoker who has taken Chantix to help you kick the nicotine habit, you need to know that this drug may have harmed your health.

Chantix is suspected of causing a long list of injuries, including heart problems, seizures, severe skin reactions, diabetes and suicidal behavior. Side effects caused by the drug, such as blackouts and loss of consciousness,  have been linked to dozens of car accidents and falls -- some of them fatal.

If you or a loved one have taken Chantix and believe you have suffered any of these side effects, you need to act quickly -- and the Louthian Law Firm can help you protect your legal rights. For a free consultation with our South Carolina pharmaceutical litigation attorneys, call 1-866-410-5656 today or fill out our convenient, confidential online form.

Chantix was approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration in May 2006 as an anti-smoking drug. Soon after its launch, however, the drug was linked to severe side effects, including dangerous mood swings and suicidal behavior.

In November 2007, the FDA reported that it had received 5,000 complaints about Chantix, including 55 reported suicides, 199 reports of suicidal thoughts and 417 instances of depression. Those health concerns were so serious that in January 2008 pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the drug's maker, updated the label to warn consumers of psychiatric side effects.  The complaints continued,  however. In the first quarter of 2008, the FDA reported that Chantix accounted for 1,001 reports of adverse events -- more than the combined reports for the 10 best selling prescription drugs.

Further studies have done little to dispel the health risks of Chantix. "As FDA’s review of the data has progressed it has become increasingly likely that the severe changes in mood and behavior may be related to Chantix," the FDA stated in a May 2008 Public Health Advisory.

The FDA warned doctors who prescribed Chantix to carefully monitor their patients -- especially those with a history of mental illness or psychiatric problems. The reason, according to the FDA Public Health Advisory: "Chantix may cause worsening of a current psychiatric illness even if it is currently under control and may cause an old psychiatric illness to reoccur."

Doctors were told to watch for symptoms such as anxiety, nervousness, tension, depressed mood, unusual behaviors and thinking about or attempting suicide. In most cases, those symptoms cropped up while Chantix was being used, but in some instances "symptoms developed following withdrawal of varenicline [Chantix] therapy," the FDA warned.

One of the biggest risks of Chantix is that users have reported  having blackouts while behind the wheel of cars, trucks or heavy machinery, leading to serious crashes, injuries and death.  The Institute for Safe Medication Practices sounded the alarm over Chantix, saying the medication had been linked to multiple auto accidents and dozens of falls leading to serious personal injury.

Among the personal injuries documented by the group:

• Serious accidents. There were 173 serious accidents, including 28 car accidents and 77 falls, with victims suffering fractures of ribs, facial bones, hands, ankles, spines and lower limbs. Those injuries stemmed from various causes, including blackouts, mental confusion, dizziness and muscle spasms.
  
• Vision problems. The study by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices said there were nearly 150 reports of vision disturbances, including blurred vision and transient or other forms of blindness.
  
• Heart problems. The ISMP noted that the FDA had received more than 220 reports of potential cardiac rhythm disturbances.
  
• Seizures and spasms. Seizures and abnormal muscle spasms or movements were reported in 372 cases. Movement disorders included tremors, muscle spasms, twitching, tics and drooling.
  
• Moderate to severe skin reactions. Nearly 340 cases of hives or swelling of the tongue, face, eyes and lips were reported, with 65 cases classified as severe and marked by blisters, exfoliation of the skin and lips or Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.
  
• Diabetes. The ISMP noted that the FDA had received 544 reports that suggested Chantix might be linked to the onset of diabetes.

These findings indicate that Chantix is much more dangerous than previously believed. In May 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration banned the use of Chantix by pilots and air traffic controllers because of the various risks the drug poses, including the danger posed by blackouts.

If you have been harmed by the use of Chantix, you have the right to seek compensation for medical bills and other expenses in a court of law. A lawsuit against the drug maker may help prevent other unsafe drugs from reaching the marketplace. But be aware that there are strict time limits, known as statutes of limitation, for going to court and seeking compensation.

The Louthian Law Firm in Columbia, S.C. is currently investigating Chantix injury claims. If you or a loved one believe you've been harmed by this drug, call us today at 1-866-410-5656 or fill out our convenient, confidential online form.

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