Sunday, March 15, 2009

Pfizer to set up 600 smoking cessation clinics in 2 years

It looks like Pfizer will opt for a more direct approach when they are selling Champix in India. With the relatively open pharmaceutical laws, it could work there. I wonder how objective these clinics will be. Nonetheless, it's an innovative concept.

From the Economic Times (India):
Pfizer India plans to launch 600 smoking cessation clinics across the country in the next two years in partnership with private sector hospitals and clinics. Pfizer India director (pharmaceutical marketing) Anjan Sen said: “We have already tied up with 150 clinics in 17 cities, including Max Healthcare, and are in talks with more hospitals for partnerships. We are also in talks with the government to use this as a treatment option in the 600 clinics that they plan to set up.”

The government had last year announced to launch same number of clinics. The government clinics will use nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) like chewing gum and patches, along with counselling, to help people quit smoking, a method that doctors say has far less success rate than medication which blocks the receptors in the brain absorbing nicotine.

According to Mr Sen, the government will shortly conduct a clinical trial of the Pfizer drug, Champix, to check its efficacy and if satisfied it will become a part of the government’s anti-smoking programme. ...more

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