NHS launches “game-changer” and lifesaving anti-smoking pill

Varenicline, taken once-a-day, reduces cravings for nicotine and helps with withdrawal symptoms in smokers.

As the UK Government presses ahead with laws to create a smoke-free generation, tens of thousands of smokers will now benefit from an improved version of a smoking cessation pill thanks to a roll-out by the National Health Service (NHS).

Varenicline will be offered to around 85,000 smokers in England to help them kick the habit alongside behavioural support, as per a 12 November press release.

NHS England states that the tablet is as effective as vapes in helping people stop smoking, and even better than nicotine-replacement gum or patches. Around a quarter of those taking varenicline in tandem with behavioural support stop smoking for at least six months, the health service said.

Varenicline helps block cravings for nicotine, the addictive chemical found in tobacco products. The drug also helps with withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and sleep issues. The smoking cessation pill was previously known under the brand name Champix, made by Pfizer since 2006. Champix was withdrawn in 2021 as a precaution after an impurity was discovered, with a new generic version approved by the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) this month. Pharmaceutical company Teva UK will manufacture the drug for the NHS.

A decline in smoking rates over the past couple of decades means that only 11.6% of adults in England still smoke – about 6 million people. There were nevertheless approximately 74,600 deaths in the UK linked to smoking in 2019, accounting for around 15% of all deaths that year. Varenicline’s use could help avoid 1,890 smoking-related deaths each year, according to research carried out by University College London. In addition, previous data on Champix showed that £1.65 was saved in healthcare costs for every £1 spent on the drug. NHS England expects the cost-benefit ratio to be even better with the cheaper generic version. 

NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard says: “This simple daily pill could be a game-changer for people who want to quit smoking and is another vital step in shifting our NHS further towards prevention.”

The UK Government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Parliament last week as it looks to curb the £2.5bn spent each year on the NHS treating health issues caused by smoking. The new set of laws will prevent anyone who was born on or after 1 January 2009 from buying tobacco, which effectively raises the legal age for buying cigarettes in England by one year every year.

“Alongside supporting the Government’s ambition to create the first smoke-free generation, we are giving current smokers the tools they need to quit – with proven treatment options like this, alongside specialist care, helping to save thousands of lives and the NHS millions of pounds in treatment costs,” Pritchard adds.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is currently reviewing a second drug called cytisine that could also help in the fight against smoking – this compound works in a similar way to varenicline. Semaglutide, marketed as weight loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic respectively, has also been touted as a potential helper, with a study showing patients on the medication were less likely to take smoking cessation treatment.