Chantix, manufactured by American drug giant Pfizer, is a smoking cessation drug. Rather than using nicotine supplementation, Chantix works to block the pleasurable effects of smoking in the brain, thus decreasing the desire to smoke and making it easier for the smoker to quit. Used in conjunction with behavior modification and counseling, Chantix has been particularly effective in helping people quit smoking.
However, the effects that Chantix has on the brain have been found to cause dangerous side effects in some users. Suicide and suicidal behavior and ideation in some Chantix users have led to mounting concerns about the drug’s neuropsychiatric effects. Many more Chantix users have experienced abnormal thinking, aggressive behavior, agitation, and depression. While the scientific links between the drug and the neuropsychiatric effects are not yet fully clear, the mounting evidence suggests a strong link.
In July 2009, the FDA mandated that a blackbox warning be placed on Chantix products, advising users of the risk of neuropsychiatric symptoms and other severe behavioral changes associated with taking the drug. (see http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm170356.htm).
As a result of the increased awareness that an FDA blackbox warning brings, as well as one high profile lawsuit filed recently, the links between Chantix and suicidal or abnormal behavior have earned increasing public attention. In fact, the growing number of Chantix lawsuits filed, coupled with the fact that the claims against Pfizer were so similar, caused all federal Chantix lawsuits to be recently consolidated into one action in the Northern District of Alabama.
If you or a loved one has suffered harm as a result of the use of Chantix, seek legal help immediately to protect your rights. There is no fee and no other obligation, however, if you delay, you may lose your right to seek compensation for injuries caused by Chantix due to state-imposed time limits for filing a lawsuit.
Check out the following articles for more information about Chantix, filing a Chantix lawsuit, and finding a Chantix attorney.