Canadian Health Links Chantix® to SJS

Canadian Health Warning: Chantix/Champix® Causes Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning in June 2009 regarding the smoking cessation drug, Chantix®. Now, one year later on June 7, 2010, Canadian health officials announced that they are now requiring Pfizer to include stricter warnings on the labels of the drug Champix® (known in the U.S. as Chantix®) due to the fact that the drug may cause a number of life-threatening side effects, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Champix® is an effective smoking cessation medication that works by preventing the brain’s receptors from sensing pleasure caused by the nicotine in cigarettes. Champix® has been available via prescription since May 2007, and the drug is generically referred to as varenicline.

Despite its effectiveness at helping people quit smoking, however, Champix® has been found to have the potential to cause severe side effects, including depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, psychosis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a serious skin condition in which the top layer of the body’s skin, the epidermis, detaches from the middle layer, the dermis, causing the cells to die off.

As Stevens-Johnson syndrome progresses, patients experience rashes, blisters and skin lesions that are painful and will spread over the body. When more than 30 percent of a patient’s body is affected by these symptoms, the condition is referred to as toxic epidermal necrosis syndrome (TENs), and patients will have a significantly lower chance of surviving.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis and you have a history of taking Champix® (Chantix®), you may have a legal claim against Pfizer. You may be entitled to a settlement that compensates you for your medical bills, permanent disabilities, lost wages, pain and suffering. Contact a Stevens-Johnson syndrome lawyer for more information.