Health written question – answered at on 31 January 2012.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has had any discussions with the (a) British Medical Association and (b) others on the effect on health of the Chempix form of the anti-smoking drug varenicitine.
Neither the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend Mr Lansley, nor his officials have had discussions with the British Medical Association about the anti-smoking drug varenicline (brand name Champix).
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the Department, is responsible for ensuring that all medicines available in the United Kingdom are effective and are acceptably safe. The MHRA has actively participated, along with other European Union member states, in Europe-wide discussions of the benefits and risks of treatment with varenicline. These discussions have concluded that the benefits of stopping smoking using varenicline outweigh the known side-effects. The health benefits of stopping smoking are well recognised.
The MHRA continues to monitor closely the safety of varenicline. Emerging data on the benefits and risks of varenicline are carefully evaluated as they become available and updated prescribing guidance is issued as appropriate. MHRA has communicated information on the safety profile of varenicline to health care professionals in the UK via its monthly bulletin 'Drug Safety Update'. The target audience for this publication includes doctors (who are the main membership of the British Medical Association).
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