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Did the introduction of varenicline in
England substitute for, or add to, the use
of other smoking cessation medications?
Authors:
Daniel Kotz, Jenny Fidler and Robert West
Presenter:
Daniel Kotz
Epidemiologist and Post-Doc Researcher, Maastricht University
Medical Centre, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Care,
Maastricht, The Netherlands
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to assess whether varenicline substituted
for, or added to, the use of other smoking cessation medications.
We used data from 6646 smokers taking part in monthly household
surveys in England. We analysed the percentage of smokers attempting
to quit and using smoking cessation medication from November 2006
to December 2009; thus covering three periods: (1) after the launch of
varenicline but before the publication of the NICE guidance on varenicline
in July 2007; (2) the first year following NICE; and (3) more than one year
after NICE.
Varenicline usage increased steadily during the second period and
levelled off at 6.4% of those making a quit attempt in the third period.
The percentage of quitters using any smoking cessation medication
increased by 4% from 44.5% in the first period to 48.6% in the third.
The use of NRT over-the-counter decreased by 3% (35.4% – 32.4%),
whereas the use of NRT on prescription increased by 2% (8.1% – 10.4%),
and use of bupropion remained unchanged.
In conclusion, there was no evidence that introduction of varenicline led
to a reduction in use of other prescription medication for smoking
cessation. The fall in use of NRT over-the-counter seems unlikely to be
related to introduction of varenicline.
Source of funding: The Smoking Toolkit Study is funded by Cancer
Research UK, Pfizer, J&J, GSK and the English Department of Health.
Pfizer, J&J and GSK are manufacturers of smoking cessation products.
Declaration of interest: none
About the presenter
Dr. Daniel Kotz is a post-doc researcher and epidemiologist at CAPHRI
School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, the
Netherlands. He is also affiliated as an honorary research fellow to the
University College London, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour
Research Centre. He is board member and communication officer of
SRNT Europe and assistant editor of the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.
His research mainly focuses on the epidemiology of tobacco addiction,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the pharmacological and
behavioural treatment for smoking cessation in primary care.
More information: www.daniel-kotz.de
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