Chantix Lawyer

Baltimore, Maryland

Chantix is a drug manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer that is used in conjunction with behavior modification therapy to help people quit smoking. While smoking is, of course, harmful to your health, sometimes the things that are touted as ‘cures’ can have a more harmful effect than the risks they were meant to prevent. This defective drug has the potential to cause serious psychological side effects in the user. Examples of these side effects include:

• Chronic anxiety
• Extreme depression
• Suicidal ideation
• Can prompt acts of abuse
• Hallucinations

What is Chantix?

Chantix is a relatively new prescription medication manufactured by Pfizer. It was released in 2006 and has since been proven to be a very effective way for smokers to kick the habit. The drug has a 44% success rate in helping people quit smoking, which is 13% more effective than the leading competitor. Despite its success in helping people, this drug has been found to have some extremely serious psychological side effects (listed above). If you are currently taking Chantix and are experiencing any of these side effects, first seek medical attention, find another suitable method for quitting, and then please contact The Yost Legal Group to see if you are entitled to damages.

How Chantix Works

The active ingredient in Chantix, Verinicline, acts directly on the brain, blocking nicotine molecules from reaching the receptors that get addicted to the drug. Verinicline was discovered by Pfizer after an attempt to modify another nicotine blocking drug that was then being used in the European Union. The drug received a “priority review” by the FDA, which allowed it to be released for sale in the US after only 6 months of testing rather than the normal 10 months. Only after it had been released were the extremely harmful side effects documented.

Injuries from Chantix to date

Since its release in 2006, there have been over 800 instances of depression / psychosis attributed to Chantix. There have also been nearly 500 cases of suicidal thoughts and behavior as well as 55 actual reported suicides. Some estimates put actual occurrence of adverse events caused by defective drugs at ten times the number reported to the FDA. These psychological side effects are extremely dangerous.

If a loved one has taken their life while taking Chantix, please contact The Yost Legal Group to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced defective drug lawyers today.