Health Canada has issued another reminder for consumers to prevent themselves of further worsening their health with serious psychiatric adverse effects of chantix, in order to withstand their New Year resolutions to quit smoking.

The Federal Health Agency said, “While Champix can be an effective tool for quitting smoking when used as part of a support program, there have been reports in some patients of unusual feelings of agitation, depressed mood, hostility, changes in behaviour, or impulsive or disturbing thoughts such as thoughts of self-harm or harm to others.”

Chantix (Sold as champix in Canada) is a smoking cessation drug and is also used in nicotine replacement therapy. It works by blocking nicotine receptors to the brain. But this drug has adverse side effects like suicidal thoughts and behavior.

Though Pfizer, the manufacturer of Chantix has prominently stated about the hazards of the drug and that it can cause disturbing side effects like suicidal thoughts or other psychiatry problems in safety section of warnings and precautions.

February’2008, FDA (USA) had clearly stated, “It appears increasingly likely that there may be an association between Chantix and serious neuropsychiatric symptoms.” In October a report issued by the non-profit Institute for Safe Medication Practices cleared further the doubts stating that FDA have received the worst side effect cases of chantix in comparison of any other drug in the first quarter of the year 2008 including 50 cases of deaths, 52 of blackouts and 15 linked to road traffic accidents.

Health Canada has immediately asked for discontinuation of the drug. Especially the ones taking it should know about the side effects and involve themselves less in activities like driving when specially under the drug effects. Health Canada has even asked Pfizer to keep updating the prescribing information for safety measures.