By failing to update their warnings, drug regulators are letting patients down

Varenicline could help smokers quit, but misleading warnings might stop people trying it. Should regulators like the FDA be better at communicating research?US drug regulator the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings about possible side effects of taking varenicline. Varenicline (marketed as Chantix in the US, and Champix in the UK) is a drug whichcan help people stop smoking. The FDA ’s warnings are out of date, do not reflect the scientific evidence, and urgently need to be updated. They may have led the public and clinicians to incorrectly believe that there was strong scientific evidence that varenicline causes or exacerbates mental health problems. Given varenicline is the most effective way to successfully stop smoking, these safety concerns may have resulted in fewer people successfully stopping smoking.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Smoking Science Society Health Drugs Source Type: news