A “game changer” of a drug is set to be offered by the NHS that will help smokers give up cigarettes for good.
Health experts have said the new medication, named Varenicline, could enable tens of thousands of people to quit the habit for life.
The once-a-day pill was labelled a “game changer” by NHS England's chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, who hopes it could help more than 85,000 people give up smoking annually over the next five years, as well as prevent up to 9,500 smoking-related deaths.
Here is everything we know about the drug.
What is Varenicline?
Varenicline – made by pharmaceutical company Teva UK – is the generic version of a previously used branded pill called Champix, which was withdrawn in 2021 after an impurity was discovered.
The relaunched version of Varenicline has been approved as safe by the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
How does it work?
It works by preventing people from wanting to pick up a cigarette and tackles cravings, and is known in the medical field as a “selective nicotine-receptor partial agonist”. It can also lessens withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability and difficulty with sleeping.
It contains no nicotine and most patients start with a pill being taken once a day.
This then increases to two tablets a day before the dosage is eventually tapered off altogether, normally over a period of 12 weeks.
What are the side effects?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which provides drug guidance for the NHS, said there are some side effects that can be seen commonly and include an abnormal appetite, constipation and/or diarrhoea, dizziness, dry mouth, headaches and nausea.
Muscle aches and an increase in weight can also be seen.
Less common side effects include anxiety, conjunctivitis, mood swings and in some cases seizures.
How can I get it and when will it be available on the NHS?
The drug has already been licensed and will be available as a prescription-only medication.
Those wanting to get it should get in touch with their GP about the drug to see if they could be eligible to be given the medication. Your GP will look at your whole health picture to see if the treatment could work.
It is expected to be made available in the coming weeks, “before the end of 2024”, but no official date has been released.
What are the laws on smoking?
Varenicline's launch comes after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill was introduced in Parliament.
The legislation will prevent anyone born after January 1, 2009 from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought.
It will introduce restrictions on vaping, as well as extend the indoor smoking ban to some outdoor areas, including outside hospitals and in children's playgrounds.
The Government's 10-year plan for the NHS, which is expected to be published in spring, will also include a greater focus on sickness prevention.
What have campaigners said about the drug?
The move to introduce the pill on the NHS has been welcomed by many.
Henry Gregg, director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said: "While the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will protect younger generations from the harms caused by this deadly addiction, the hundreds of thousands of current smokers who want to give up must also be supported.
"It is incredibly difficult to quit smoking without help."
Dr Sarah Jackson, a principal research fellow at the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, added: "It is excellent news that varenicline is now available again in England.
"Large evidence reviews have consistently found it to be one of the most effective treatments for helping people to stop smoking."
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, added: "Along with funding for cessation services, making tools like this available will help more people stop smoking.
"Around 160 cases of cancer are caused by tobacco every day in the UK, so it's essential that action is taken to prevent people from smoking in the first place."
