Daily Telegraph
Champix may have led to TV editor's suicide
18/04/2008
By Nick Allen

A coroner has linked an anti-smoking drug to the death of a television editor who killed himself.

Omer Jama, 39, who worked for Sky Sports, was found dead at his home two months after being prescribed Champix to help him quit smoking.

Mr Jama had slashed his wrists and stabbed himself in the thigh and stomach, an inquest in Bolton was told.

However, Jennifer Leeming, the coroner, said she could not record a verdict of suicide and instead recorded an open verdict.

She said: "For me to register that he took his own life I would have to be satisfied he did the act which led to his death and he knew what he was doing.

"On the evidence before me I cannot say that was the case."

She said that she would write to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which has been monitoring Champix since it was authorised in the EU in September 2006, to register the death as an "adverse event".

Julie Evans, a forensic toxicology expert, told the inquest that traces of the drug in Mr Jama's blood did not indicate an overdose. But she said reports from the United States had recorded "suicidal" thoughts in patients.

She said: "There is a possibility he could have been influenced by the side effects of the drug."

The EMA, which licensed the drug, issued guidance on its active ingredient, varenicline, to doctors two months after Mr Jama's death last October.

It said "updated warnings" were needed to raise awareness of cases of suicide attempts reported in patients after the drug was allegedly linked to 37 US suicide cases.

About 200,000 smokers have been prescribed Champix in Britain.

Last year, the EMA received 839 reports of adverse reactions, of which 46 were linked to depression and 16 to patients claiming to have suffered suicidal thoughts.

Mr Jama's wife of 12 years, Catherine, told the inquest they had recently separated. She said they met regularly and he had seemed his "usual self".

His brother, Ali Jama, 41, said: "It is clear from the evidence of the toxicologist that Champix's influence could have played a part. I would like to see more investigation done."

A spokesman for Pfizer, the makers of Champix, said no causal link had been established between the drug and depression.

He said: "Depression, rarely including suicidal ideation [suicidal thoughts], has been reported in patients undergoing a smoking cessation attempt. These symptoms have also been reported while quitting with varenicline. A relationship between varenicline and the reported symptoms hasn't been established but in some reports a link couldn't be excluded."

A spokesman for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which is also monitoring the drug, said there had been four reports of suicide and five of attempted suicide.

In February, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommended that the drug should be prescribed to smokers wanting to kick their habit. However, it said the full side effects of Champix were not yet known.

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For Further Information:
NICE Recommends Champix Suicide Drug - People Die

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Ah but one needs to look at the positive side of this drug. It definitely causes the smoker to stop smoking.

LOL Mad!

Sorry to sound uncaring, but 37 deaths seems mild in comparison to the number of people that are killed by other drugs/chemo/radiation/surgeries etc. Or even to the number of people who are killed by smoking related illnesses. Is it worth the risk? Maybe he was already unstable to begin with, just happened to be taking Chantix when he did the deed.

However, I do know someone who took Chantix and when she stopped she has been on anti-depressants ever since. Maybe it is just another ploy by pharm companies to sell more drugs.

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