text_1: Anti-smoking drug receives FDA approval
text_2: This is an evening network newscast story on the recent FDA approval of the drug varenicline (trade name Chantix) for smoking cessation. Given the time constraints of this news story, the reporters do an excellent job of even-handedly presenting the new drug in the context of other therapies for smoking cessation. Varenicline may be an option for those who have not been able to quit smoking using other drug treatments, such as the anti-depressant bupropion (trade name Zyban) or nicotine replacement therapy. Varenicline was given priority status and fast-tracked for approval due to the “significant improvement” over existing therapies for smoking cessation; however, the long-term benefit of varenicline over exiting therapies is not very significant. Approval of varenicline was largely based on two double-blind, randomized studies of 2000 smokers in which the drug was compared with bupropion (trade name Zyban) and a placebo. The studies were both funded by Pfizer, maker of varenicline. The news story presents longer-term (1 year) abstinence rates, which are important for evaluating smoking cessation therapies. Unfortunately, there is no discussion of side effects. Nausea, headaches, insomnia and other stomach problems were more common in the varenicline group, but none of these are mentioned in the broadcast. The cost of a 12-week course of varenicline is provided in context with a message that smoking is a strong addiction and that reliance on a pill alone may not be enough. There is a behavioral component to smoking cessation that is recognized even by Pfizer, which, in the press release announcing approval of varenicline for smoking cessation, also announces plans to offer varenicline users an interactive on-line support program. (Publisher’s Note: Although this review points out some flaws, this NBC story is to be applauded for what it achieved in the usual limited time afforded TV news stories. That same night, the ABC and CBS network newscasts ran stories on the same topic, but their stories each ran only about 15 seconds and contained little information.)