Chantix Suicide Numbers Increase as More Information Discovered

The smoking cessation drug Chantix has been linked to a number of serious psychological side effects. These possible Chantix side effects include aggression, rage, mood swings, depression, and suicidal thoughts not characteristic of a patient’s thoughts and behavior before taking the medication. Despite this, Chantix continues to be one of the most popular smoking cessation products on the market today. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Chantix, is coming under fire both for its clinical trial accuracy and the fact that they appear to have been hiding information about Chantix from the food and Drug Administration.

Initially, there were 122 reports of Chantix suicide reported by Pfizer. It has come to light, however, that about 150 cases of Chantix-related suicide or suicide of those taking Chantix were known, but not reported to the Food and Drug Administration. Combined, almost 300 cases of Chantix suicide have been reported. This means that the danger associated with Chantix-related suicide is more than twice what was originally thought – and spells trouble for Pfizer, especially as they are now faced with victims filing many a Chantix lawsuit.

Chantix heart attack is another side effect that is especially worrisome to patients and legal experts. Heart attacks are one of the most deadly conditions today, and Chantix seems to put patients at greater risk of suffering one. Is it possible that Chantix heart attacks, like Chantix suicides, have been seriously
undereported? Pfizer does not seem too concerned with reports of patients who have suffered potentially deadly Chantix side effects.

The Food and Drug Administration warned of a risk of Chantix heart attack in June of 2011, but emphasized that this risk was a small one. However, a study reported that Chantix users were 72 percent more likely to have a heart attack within a year of taking the drug – definitely not what could be considered a “small” risk. About 224 reports of heart problems associated with Chantix reached the Food and Drug Administration between May of 2006 and December of 2007, these months marking the first 18 the drug was available on the pharmaceuticals market.

Some legal experts think that it is likely that Chantix heart attacks, like Chantix suicide, will have been underreported and more patients are eligible to take legal action than was once thought.