FAA bans anti-smoking drug Chantix for pilots, air controllers

[38yrsfan]

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration today banned pilots and air traffic controllers from using a popular new anti-smoking drug after a medical safety group warned that the medication had apparently contributed to auto accidents and other mishaps that posed risks to both users and others.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,2923950.story


The agency had approved the drug last summer, before drug safety regulators began investigating reports of serious psychiatric problems, including suicidal behavior, sharp shifts in mood and vivid nighttime episodes some patients call "Chantix dreams."

[kchero]

I am currently in school for and work within the pharmaceutics field and to be harshly honest, questions concerning this medication are typically involved around the people that are either taking the medication improperly or they are involved in external lifestyles (excessive amounts of alcohol, drugs, other distructive habits). In this sad and litigious society it seems that most people try to find other reasons for why some tragic events occur instead of blaming themselves or the approperiate party. Now by no means am I saying that there aren't current medications that do not have adverse effects that are of concern to the general public, but in general it is evident that people these days need to look more towards themselves and see what is at fault than the system around them as they look to point the finger.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by kchero

.....In this sad and litigious society it seems that most people try to find other reasons for why some tragic events occur instead of blaming themselves or the approperiate party......but in general it is evident that people these days need to look more towards themselves and see what is at fault than the system around them as they look to point the finger.

QFT....

[DeepPurple]

I started smoking in 1970 while in the Army stationed in Korea. I have a very addictive personality and thought I would be a smoker for the rest of my life. I smoked 2-1/2 packs a day for 36 years until December 2006. My doctor had been bugging me to quit for a couple of years and mentioned Chantix, so finally I said give me a prescription.

I quit smoking after five days on Chantix. It said if you had quit in the first 30 days you can get refills up to 4 months if necessary. However, Chantix did give me nightmares and by the end of the first month I had been off cigarettes for about 25 days, so I didn't have it refilled. I'm still smoke free after almost 17 months.

Quiting when I did probably saved my life. In April 2007 I took a stress EKG and my cardiologist said we need to do an angioplasty because of blockage in your heart. On May 10th, just over a year ago, I went in for the procedure and they had to put in a stent. Had I still been smoking those 5 or 6 more months I probably would of had a heart attack.