NEWS: NHS to Roll Out New Anti-Smoking Pill

As reported by NHS England, the NHS will offer an improved anti-smoking pill, potentially saving thousands of lives and cutting taxpayer costs

Thousands of lives could be saved thanks to the roll-out of an improved anti-smoking pill on the NHS in England, says head of the health service. Varenicline has been shown to work as well as vapes to help people stop smoking and be a more effective aid than nicotine-replacement gum or patches. The daily pill is now set to be offered by the NHS to tens of thousands of smokers each year in England to provide another option to help them quit.

The drug works by reducing cravings for nicotine and blocking its effect on the brain, while also helping with withdrawal symptoms such as feeling irritable or having difficulty sleeping. When used alongside behavioural support, such as counselling, the treatment has been shown to help around one in four people stop smoking for at least six months.

Alongside government efforts to create a smoke-free generation, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard says the move to provide varenicline comes as part of a major NHS drive to make more effective treatment options available for patients while delivering over £500m in savings for the taxpayer.

The speech at the NHS Providers annual conference in Liverpool focused on the NHS’ continued commitment to reform patient care and provide maximum value for taxpayers, with figures showing new initiatives to boost productivity have helped the NHS save £2 billion in the first five months of this financial year to be reinvested for patients. It is estimated the use of varenicline on the NHS could help over 85,000 people try to stop smoking each year and its use over the next five years could prevent up to 9,500 smoking-related deaths, according to research by University College London.