The Japanese health authorities are notoriously strict

The Japanese Ministry of Health has recently given the drug company Pfizer full approval to sell and market the smoking cessation drug Champix in Japan. Champix will be the first smoking cessation drug to be taken orally that has been given approval by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.  The drug will be sold as Champix in Japan as opposed to using the name that it is sold by in the United States namely Chantix. Pfizer are hopeful that it will become a good selling medication in Japan especially as there are millions of smokers in the country and smoking is much more prevalent than it is in the United States and Europe.

The Japanese health authorities are notoriously strict when it comes to the approval of medication and this will be reassuring to people who are already using the Champix smoking cessation drug in the United Kingdom. There have been reports in the media that the use of Champix can produce neuropsychiatric events  however it has not been proven that this is a case but nevertheless both the health authorities in the United States and in Europe as well as Pfizer who manufacture the drug are looking into the claims, and have amended the labeling that comes with the smoking cessation drug to warn patients and doctors of possible psychiatric problems that could occur.

Practically all medications come with side effects and you should only use Champix if you feel that smoking is seriously damaging your health and you really need to quit. Champix works on your brain as opposed to your body. This means that you are likely to experience lessening of the psychological cravings that accompany quitting smoking as well as the physical cravings also.

In independent testing Champix has shown to be more effective than nicotine replacement therapy and other smoking cessation aids. If you feel that Champix could help you to quit smoking you would need to get a prescription from a doctor before you use it. You can learn more about Champix on the Ukmedix web site.