Violence prompts Chantix lawsuits

A number of Chantix users who have suffered the effects of aggressive behavior have filed Chantix lawsuits. Aggressive behavior as a result of Chantix use ranges from mood swings to irrational violence, suicidal ideation, and even suicide.
Given the frequency and nature of Chantix side effects it isn’t surprising that experts concerned with public safety have questioned the appropriateness of prescribing Chantix to people who carry weapons in their line of work. The problems presented by Chantix side effects, i.e. aggressive behavior, illogical hostility, violent outbursts, and suicidal tendencies are even more dangerous when the individual being affected carries a weapon as a requirement of their profession. Experts recommended that individuals prescribing Chantix take into consideration the negative effects of the drug.

Chantix Lawsuit Over Safety Concerns

Chantix lawsuits have been consolidated in the Northern District of Alabama after side effects became apparent in numerous patients who had taken the popular smoking cessation aid. Many plaintiffs are taking issue with the fact that initial clinical trials seemed to prove that the drug was safe and posed limited risk of side effects – however, the clinical trials failed to include individuals with a history of mental health issues or psychiatric problems, many of whom are smokers and would therefore be likely to use Chantix.

Chantix Side Effects Stem From Flawed Clinical Testing

Chantix is now well known to cause serious psychological side effects in patients, including increased rates of depression, rage, and suicidal thoughts. It was introduced to the United States pharmaceuticals market in 2006 after early clinical trials showed high effectiveness and a low rate of side effects. However, soon after its introduction, patients began complaining of the severe Chantix side effects is now known for.

Chantix Lawsuits Have Time Limit

For those wishing to file a lawsuit related to side effects experienced because of the smoking cessation drug Chantix, time may be running out. All civil lawsuits, regardless of whether they are filed in a state court or federal court, are subject to a statue of limitations law which limits the amount of time plaintiffs have to file suit against a defendant. Most statues of limitations are between six months and three years after the discovery of a wrongdoing – meaning, in this case, the manifestation of Chantix side effects.

Weapon Carrying Workers and Chantix Prescriptions

In a recent edition of Annals of Pharmacotherapy there was a Chantix report published. One of the co-authors of the report was Thomas J. Moore. In the report Thomas J. Moore indicated that potentially dangerous side effects of the popular stop smoking drug, Chantix, give just cause for restrictions that would exclude various weapon carrying workers (police, military, etc.) from taking the drug.

As a senior scientist for drug safety and policy at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices in Horsham, PA, Thomas J. Moore worked alongside several colleagues to conduct the Chantix study due to safety concerns related to the popular drug used to “quit smoking.” Conclusive recommendations were offered with the intention of preventing violence as Chantix aggressive behavior that erupts amongst weapon carrying workers could have much more harmful consequences than in other cases. The report indicated that the scientists feared the Chantix side effects may cause the usually protective instincts of the weapon carrying workers to be overwhelmed by aggressive behavior (for which Chantix is quickly becoming known) and cause them to harm those they would normally devote their time to protecting.

The first reports of Chantix aggressive behavior and other related side effects were reported in 2008.
Chantix side effects and related adverse events include:

• Mood changes
• Abrupt change in personality or behavior
• Aggressive and/or dangerous behavior
• Hostility
• Suicidal behavior
• Serious, sometimes fatal, skin reactions
• Depression
• Suicide ideation
• Attempted suicide
• Suicide

Chantix aggressive behavior has been known to lead to:

• General Assault
• Homicidal thoughts and/or actions
• General aggressions
• Violence
• Uncharacteristic and inappropriate behavior; often presenting abruptly with little to no warning

The Chantix aggressive behavior and other side effects will generally begin to make themselves known within 2 days of the start of Chantix treatment. In some cases the symptoms of aggressive behavior and other, related side effects will stop along with Chantix use. But in other cases, the symptoms of Chantix side effects persist after treatment had been completed and/or stopped. It has been suggested that the adverse effects that are afflicting Chantix patients are due to the nicotine withdrawal rather than the drug itself. This is not an accurate assessment as in many cases the symptoms begin to present in the first few days of treatment during which time the patient is still smoking without restriction.

Why file a Chantix Lawsuit?

There are several reasons to file a Chantix lawsuit. First, the Chantix lawsuit is an appropriate response to the company’s failure to conduct appropriate studies of the drug prior to releasing it to the public for use. Appropriate studies would likely have offered at least indications of the potential side effects and the harm they could cause to Chantix patients. Second, a Chantix lawsuit is an appropriate response to the company’s failure to provide patients and potential patients with appropriate warnings regarding potential side effects once they were identified or even suspected.
Individuals who wish to determine their Chantix lawsuit eligibility should contact an experienced Chantix lawyer to discuss the specifics of their situation. The end result of a Chantix lawsuit will depend upon several factors including: the extreme nature of the side effects, financial consequences felt as a result of the side effects, permanence or temporary nature of the side effects, injury caused by side effects, etc.

Chantix Statue of Limitations: Time is Running Out

Potential plaintiffs in the Chantix lawsuits should consult their lawyers as soon as possible in order to avoid exclusion from litigation due to the statue of limitations in their state. Many plaintiffs will not be able to file a lawsuit after June of 2011, the two-year anniversary of the popular smoking cessation drug’s mandated black box warning by the Food and Drug Administration. This warning advises patients of the risk of psychological side effects, such as rage, increased aggression, depression, and suicide ideation. Many attorneys say that this warning is still insufficient, as the drug is still on the market and is still putting people at risk.
Statues of limitations are usually between two and four years, and the statue of limitations in Alabama – the state in which the Chantix multidistrict litigation lawsuit is being consolidated – is two years. However, in some cases, the statue of limitations can be extended by a judge, such as if a patient was led to believe by a medical professional that his or her side effects stemmed from something other than the medication. For this reason, it is especially important that potential plaintiffs consult a Chantix lawyer about whether or not they have a case, even if their side effects manifested when the drug was first released.
In almost all cases, the sooner it is filed the more likely it is to be valid, so those who think they may have a Chantix lawsuit should not delay in consulting their attorney. Pretrial proceedings are already taking place in Alabama, and while the first Chantix trial is not scheduled to begin until 2012, the window of opportunity for filing a lawsuit is closing. It is estimated that more than 2,000 Chantix lawsuits will be included in the multidistrict litigation case by the time the first trials get underway.

Zyban vs. Chantix Do They Really Compare?

Chantix is one of dozens of smoking cessation aids currently available in the United States. However, it is one of only two non-nicotine prescription drugs approved to help people quit smoking. The other is Zyban. Zyban is the brand name of the drug bupropion, which is also the active ingredient in the popular antidepressant Wellbutrin. The drug was approved as an antidepressant in 1985 and as a smoking cessation aid in 1997. Varenicline is the drug marketed as Chantix and was approved by the FDA in 2006 for marketing in the US. It is a name brand drug manufactured by Pfizer, Inc.
Both Chantix and Zyban help people quit smoking by interfering with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain. While the mechanism through which Zyban works is quite different than that of Chantix, both drugs dampen cigarette cravings and shift the balance of dopamine in the brain.