Is cost of medication for quit smoking important for smokers, experience of using champix in Iranian Smoking Cessation Program 2016

Abstract

Background:Providing smoking cessation services are special importance to tobacco control programs. To date, Champix is a new expensive medication for smoking cessation available nationally. Champix has both agonist and antagonist activities and can reduce nicotine dependence and withdrawal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the duration of using Champix based on its cost.Methods:This quasi-experimental study was conducted with smokers presenting to the Tanaffos Smoking Cessation Clinic in Tehran, Iran 2016. Smokers were visited by a physician 3 times at 1-week intervals for counseling. Smokers started to use Champix and stopped smoking in the 2nd week of counseling and were followed up by phone and through regular visits to the clinic at 1, 3, and 6 months postintervention. Some of them did not continue medication for 12 weeks because of its cost.Results:A total of 227 smokers including 133 males (58%) with a mean age of 43 years were enrolled of whom 116 (51.1%), 89 (43.6%), and 34 (20.6%) had quit smoking after 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Quit rates were significantly higher among those who used Champix for more than 6 weeks, and this rate was not correlated with age, sex, educational level, or nicotine dependence.Conclusions:Use of Champix for more than 6 weeks increases the quitting success rate compared with using for a shorter time. The cost of Champix was important for smokers and adding Champix to the list of insurance medication or getting it free of charge is needed.

How does reimbursement status affect smoking cessation interventions? A real-life experience from the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey

“…However, in univariate analysis the FP was also found to increase the treatment adherence, so there is a chance that cost does play a role in early treatment cessation. Medication cost was found by Iranian researchers 18 to have an effect on varenicline users. Also, in the same study they found higher quit rates in the group that used varenicline over 6 weeks.…”

Initiating Pharmacologic Treatment in Tobacco-Dependent Adults. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline

“…In general, the evidence also suggests that varenicline used in this way would be acceptable to stakeholders ( 138 – 141 ). Although uptake of varenicline is low, people prefer pharmacotherapy options if they are of higher efficacy, have less-frequent side effects, and prevent weight gain ( 40 – 43 , 138 , 142 ). Cost concerns become less important in the presence of improved efficacy and safety.…”

Tobacco cessation programs and factors associated with their effectiveness in the Middle East: A systematic review

“…The outcomes and aims of the included studies are summarized in Table 3. The most commonly reported outcome was the quit rate (n=18) 36,37,40,[42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56] , followed by cessation rate (n=8) 39,41,[56][57][58][59][60][61] , sustained abstinence (n=1) 35 , fail to quit (n=1) 62 , cessation survival rate (n=1) 38 , and success rate (n=1) 35 . The majority of studies utilized a self-reported questionnaire to estimate quit rates, while some others used the carbon monoxide breath test to determine quitting state (n=19) 35-37,39-41,43,44,46-48,50-53, 55-57,59 .…”

“…For example, factors found to be associated with reduced effectiveness include individual withdrawal symptoms 39,45,47,57,63 , high nicotine dependence rate 36,38,43,49,52,60,62,63 , poor knowledge on how to quit 45 , change in attitudes and behaviors 43,56 , stress 47,48 , number of cigarettes smoked per day 62,63 , inability to afford higher priced medications 49,50,62 , and concern about gaining weight 51,63 . Other individual factors that were found to be associated with effective TC programs included older age 51,62 , female gender 61 , knowledge on the benefits of tobacco cessation 35,59 , health issues 41,47,53,54,59,[61][62][63] , higher education level 48,54 , religious beliefs 59 , and adherence to treatment 51 .…”