New anti-smoking pill ‘Varenicline’ to help save NHS millions

The daily pill, made available through NHS stop smoking services, has been shown  to be more effective than nicotine replacement gum or patches

Tens of thousands of smokers in England will be offered an improved anti-smoking pill by the NHS to help them quit.

NHS England has announced the rollout of a new generic version of Champix, called Varenicline, which has been proven to be as effective as vapes and more successful than nicotine replacement gum or patches.

When used alongside behavioural support, such as counselling, the daily pill has been shown to help one in four smokers quit for at least six months.

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard called the introduction of Varenicline a “vital step in shifting NHS further towards prevention” and highlighted that it could be a “game-changer” for people who want to quit smoking.

Speaking at the NHS Providers annual conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, she emphasised that smoking remains “one of the biggest public health issues facing the NHS.”

“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.”

It is estimated that around one in eight adults in the UK smoke, totaling around six million people.

Smoking caused over 400,000 hospital admissions in England in 2022-23 and each year the NHS spends around £2.5 billion on treating health issues caused by smoking.

Varenicline works by reducing nicotine cravings, blocking its effect on the brain, and alleviating withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and difficulty sleeping.

The drug is being offered through NHS Stop Smoking Services, which smokers can access by self-referring via the NHS Better Health website.

Health secretary Wes Streeting remarked: “Prevention is better than cure. The rollout of this pill can save the NHS millions of pounds, save appointments to help other patients be seen faster, and save lives.”

“Taken alongside our tobacco and vapes bill, the government and NHS are building a healthy society to help power a healthy economy.”

Varenicline is being made available through a collaboration between NHS England and Teva UK.

The branded version of the drug, Champix, was withdrawn in 2021 due to an impurity. The new generic version has been approved as safe by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Research from University College London suggests that Varenicline could help over 85,000 people try to quit smoking each year and prevent up to 9,500 smoking-related deaths over the next five years.

A second smoking cessation drug, cytisine, is currently under review by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).