Pfizer Inc announced that Chantix (varenicline) is now available in US pharmacies.

Chantix, the first new prescription aid to smoking cessation treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in nearly a decade, was approved in May 2006. Those who are prescribed Chantix will be offered the opportunity to enrol in a behavioural modification programme called Getquit Support Plan at no additional cost. The plan was developed by Pfizer with input from smoking cessation experts.

"By developing Chantix to help people quit smoking, we hope to take a positive step toward improving the health of smokers, their families and friends, and society in general," said Karen Katen, Pfizer vice chairman and president of Pfizer Human Health. "Quitting smoking is challenging physiologically and psychologically. Oftentimes, smokers are very much on their own during the difficult quitting process. To help people break free from the powerful grip of smoking, we are offering Chantix with a personalized behaviour modification program called Getquit Support Plan. It is our hope that this will help smokers achieve their goal of living smoke-free."

There are 45 million adult smokers in the U.S., but approximately 70 per cent say they want to quit. Chantix offers an important advance in smoking cessation. When a smoker takes Chantix as part of their efforts to quit, it is believed that the medication binds to the same receptors to which nicotine would bind, but Chantix appears to activate the receptors to a much lesser extent. Also, if a person does smoke while taking Chantix, Chantix may block the nicotine from binding and lessen nicotine's effects.

Nicotine addiction is a chronic medical condition that is difficult to overcome. According to a research report on nicotine addiction from The National Institute on Drug Abuse, less than 7 per cent of smokers who try to quit achieve at least one year of abstinence. That same report says that most smokers relapse within a few days of attempting to quit. However, for individuals who are motivated to quit smoking, literature has shown that a combination of medication and behaviour modification can increase successful quit rates.

The Getquit Support Plan was developed using principles of cognitive therapy with input from smoking cessation experts to help educate patients about managing cravings and behavioural triggers. It will be available at no additional cost to Chantix patients. The plan will feature extensive behaviour modification support that patients can customize to their individual needs, including a "Habit Changer" to identify and address their personal triggers to smoke, and daily communications that help them track their progress.

"The US Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines say that increased behavioural support is associated with significantly better chances of quitting. At this time, there are many initiatives being passed in various states, including clean air laws, as well as the adoption of smoke-free workplaces that are designed to discourage smoking and drive people to consider a quit attempt," said Dr. Scott Leischow, a behavioural specialist and professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona. "It is critically important that, when smokers want to try to quit, they have access to behavioural support programs and treatment modalities to help them in their quit attempts."