Warning - Stop Smoking Drugs May Be Hazerdous to Your Health

Smoking is its own punishment.

But many smokers are being doubly punished these days with 1) a smoking cessation drug that might actually be worse for you than smoking, and 2) a new vaccine recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's enough to inspire you to stop smoking just to get these relentless drug merchants off your back! The Associated Press reports that the pneumococcal vaccine protects against a number of pneumococcal bacteria strains, but in the 25 years since it was first licensed it hasn't been very effective in preventing pneumonia or in warding off pneumococcal illnesses in those with weakened immune systems.

Okay, I get it - it's an ineffective vaccine that's sort of effective if you have a strong immune system. Which sort of makes you wonder if strong immune function is doing all the heavy lifting in that equation.

A panel from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently recommended that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should encourage all smokers to get the pneumococcal vaccine. The CDC is expected to sign on for the recommendation. Then stand aside and let the vaccine trucks come rolling through.

And as usual, some giant drug company is going to make a tidy little bundle on this dubious recommendation. And that lucky winner is...Merck & Co. - makers of Pneumovax, which costs about $30 per dose.

Meanwhile, over at Pfizer, things aren't so rosy.

A couple of weeks ago, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) announced a grim milestone: The number of serious drug reactions and deaths reported to the FDA set a new record in the first quarter of 2008 - almost 21,000 serious reactions were reported, and more than 4,800 deaths.

Two factors accounted for these high numbers: 1) Tainted batches of the blood thinner heparin imported from China, and 2) Chantix, Pfizer's smoking cessation drug.

In previous e-Alerts I've told you about the woes linked to Chantix. Just a few of the side effects noted on the Chantix website include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness (and who wouldn't be dizzy after those first four side effects?), chest pain, depression, and hypertension.

Earlier this year, the FDA issued a warning about "reports of suicidal thoughts and aggressive and erratic behavior in patients who have taken Chantix."

Apparently that warning was right on the money.

The ISMP notes that not only did Chantix account for 1,001 of the serious reaction reports (the highest number of any prescription drug), but the number of serious reactions linked to Chantix use was higher than all of the 10 best selling brand name drugs combined.

An Associated Press report included this interesting note: "Officials are not sure whether reports are up because problems are getting worse, or simply due to greater awareness about drug safety issues."

Riiiight. It's not the drug that's the problem, it's the GROWING AWARENESS that the drug is a problem - THAT'S the problem. Got it.

The ISMP announcement urged the FDA to forcefully warn Chantix users that they might experience blackouts - a pretty serious side effect when you're driving or flying. That's why the FAA has already banned pilots from using Chantix.

A Pfizer spokesperson told the AP that clinical trial results show the drug's benefits "clearly outweigh its risks." Or - put another way - our drug isn't as dangerous as tobacco use, which accounts for more than 400,000 U.S. deaths each year.

So, the moral of the story is if you smoke, chew or dip...STOP. Give yourself 3 days and you will kick the habit. Stay away from junk like Chantix, it's just another drug to replace a drug with side effects to replace side effects.