GSK offers pilots NRT after Chantix ban
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
GlaxoSmithKline is offering one free 48-count carton of Commit 4 mg nicotine replacement therapy lozenges to all licensed commercial and private pilots following the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to ban Pfizer's Rx smoking cessation pill, Chantix (varenicline), GSK announces May 23. The offer is available through June 30. The FAA decision came after the nonprofit Institute for Safe Medication Practices used FDA adverse event data to find potential risks for Chantix include heart arrhythmias, seizures, diabetes, skin reactions and vision disturbances in addition to the known psychiatric side-effects. FDA released safety warnings about possible neuropsychiatric side-effects for Chantix in February (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 4, 2008, In Brief)...