15 January 2007
Champix (Varenicline) has today been accepted by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for use within NHS Scotland’s smoking cessation services. The treatment is a new prescription-only, non-nicotine medicine designed to help people stop smoking.
Maureen Moore, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland said,
"ASH Scotland welcomes the introduction of any properly tested treatment that could help smokers to beat their addiction. ASH Scotland welcomes this as a new addition to the options for treatment the NHS can offer. Specialist support with appropriate pharmaceutical treatments like Nicotine Replacement Therapies or Champix can raise people's chances of success in quitting smoking.
“13 000 smokers in Scotland die every year from tobacco related diseases. 50% of long term smokers die as a result of tobacco use. On average smokers lose 10 years from their life expectancy because of tobacco. The cost to the NHS of treating people for the diseases caused by tobacco is far greater than the cost of providing smoking cessation help on the NHS."
ENDS
For further information please call ASH Scotland on 0131 225 4725 or 07980 203544