From the Ottawa Citizen:
Health Canada is still in discussions with Pfizer Inc., about whether to add safety warnings to packages containing anti-smoking drugs that may have psychiatric side effects, including suicidal thoughts.
South of the border, U.S. health officials Wednesday ordered Pfizer Inc and GlaxoSmithKline PLC to add strong "black box" warnings on their anti-smoking drugs to highlight the risk of serious mental health problems.
Philippe Laroche, spokesman for Health Canada, said the federal agency expect to reach an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant by the end of this summer, or the fall.
"In addition to updated safety information regarding the risk of psychiatric events, new labelling will also incorporate information regarding angioedema, serious skin reactions and accidental injury," said Laroche in an email to Canwest News Service.
The U.S. warnings, which must be added to Pfizer's Champix and Glaxo's Zyban, follow more than five thousand reports of depression, hostility and other behavioural changes in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration said. ...more
Showing posts with label Zyban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zyban. Show all posts
Monday, July 06, 2009
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Pharmacists shouldn't prescribe smoking drugs: critics
From the Globe and Mail:
Smokers looking to kick the habit might chew nicotine gum or wear a patch sold over the counter in drug stores across Canada to give them an extra boost. But should they also be able to bypass the doctor and head to the drugstore if they're looking for something stronger?
A growing number of pharmacists across Canada think they should - and the idea is drawing sharp criticism from some drug-safety experts.
A few dozen Alberta pharmacists are currently authorized to write prescriptions for Zyban and Champix, the brand names of two common smoking-cessation drugs.
An advisory council to Ontario's health ministry is recommending that pharmacists in the province also be allowed to write prescriptions for smoking-cessation drugs. The recommendation is contained in a broader report that supports expanding the power of pharmacists to prescribe drugs for minor ailments, as well as to alter prescriptions or change dosages.
While Ontario's Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council admits that nicotine addiction is not a "minor ailment," it says pharmacists in the province should be able to write prescriptions for stop-smoking drugs as a way to improve access for those who want to quit. ...more
Smokers looking to kick the habit might chew nicotine gum or wear a patch sold over the counter in drug stores across Canada to give them an extra boost. But should they also be able to bypass the doctor and head to the drugstore if they're looking for something stronger?
A growing number of pharmacists across Canada think they should - and the idea is drawing sharp criticism from some drug-safety experts.
A few dozen Alberta pharmacists are currently authorized to write prescriptions for Zyban and Champix, the brand names of two common smoking-cessation drugs.
An advisory council to Ontario's health ministry is recommending that pharmacists in the province also be allowed to write prescriptions for smoking-cessation drugs. The recommendation is contained in a broader report that supports expanding the power of pharmacists to prescribe drugs for minor ailments, as well as to alter prescriptions or change dosages.
While Ontario's Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council admits that nicotine addiction is not a "minor ailment," it says pharmacists in the province should be able to write prescriptions for stop-smoking drugs as a way to improve access for those who want to quit. ...more
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