Research shows that NOT smoking is the real health hazard
The antismoking campaigns of the last 20 years have driven many smokers to do whatever they can to try to break their smoking habit – whether it’s healthy or even safe. Turns out a lot of people could be exposing themselves to dangerous side effects in their quest to become smoke-free.
There’s new research from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) that links Pfizer’s antismoking drug Chantix to more than ONE THOUSAND serious incidences of seizure and loss of motor control. And that’s just in the first quarter of this year.
In fact, Chantix has the dubious distinction of being connected to more adverse effects than any other prescription drug. This includes 52 traffic accidents that may have involved Chantix-induced blackouts.
So why are people taking Chantix? Because they’ve been told that smoking will kill them. But ironically, it seems that the side effects of Chantix are the real threat.
Pfizer has, predictably, cast doubt over the conclusions of ISMP’s report, saying that it was “based solely on a tally of post-marketing adverse events.” Pfizer’s statement claims that reports of this nature cannot be verified and “lack sufficient medical information to draw any conclusions.”
Really? Well if that’ the case, why is it that the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense all ruled to restrict the use of Chantix after the release of another ISMP report on the drug in May of this year? In the wake of the ISMP’s May report, in fact, the FAA declared that pilots and air-traffic controllers were to stop using Chantix IMMEDIATELY.
Hmmm seems that even massive and traditionally lethargic government departments thought that ISMP had demonstrated more than sufficient medical information to act on the issue.
Which, of course brings us to my old buddies at the FDA. ISMP’s May report had linked Chantix to other unpleasant psychiatric side effects including suicidal behavior and depression. This is the report that had drawn such a swift response from the DoT, FAA, and the DoD. But while those agencies reacted quickly to the apparent dangers of Chantix, the FDA took a different course from her sister agencies; they didn’t restrict the use of Chantix to the public, or issue any bans. The FDA issued a public health alert.
The FDA: our nation’s biggest practitioner of the half-measure. The agency didn’t even bother to issue one of their new “black box” warnings, which they love to pretend carry so much weight. Instead, they’ve been “reviewing” the ISMP’s May report since then – and they still haven’t reacted to these latest findings against Chantix.
Last year, Chantix rode the crest of the national anti-smoking fervor to a whopping $883 in sales, so it’s not like Pfizer will voluntarily boot that cash cow out of the barn.
Still, I can’t help but think that the latest information has put a dent in their wallets – especially since Pfizer has launched a major PR campaign for Chantix, and taken out newspaper ads attacking ISMP’s findings.
Seems like ISMP hit a nerve to me. But then, most of Big Pharma’s nerves tend to be in their wallets.
CDC recommends vaccine for smokers
The CDC is now recommending that smokes – along with children and the elderly – be vaccinated against a germ that causes pneumonia.
It’s one of the most disheartening things about the ongoing war against vaccinations; every time you turn around, there seems to be another vaccination popping up!
This latest vaccine targeted specifically at smokers is aimed at battling Streptococcus pneumonia, which can lead to the development of pneumonia, meningitis, and various other infections. It’s thought that this vaccination could benefit smokers because this group is more apt to develop pulmonary and respiratory infections.
And as if it’s not bad enough that the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) wants to start “recommending” (read: pressuring) smokers to get this questionable vaccine, they want to combine it with more anti-smoking propaganda! A CDC spokesman said that the ACIP will recommend that smokers who get the pneumococcal vaccine “also undergo stop smoking counseling.”
Of course you’ve got to wonder if the “stop smoking” counseling works, will the ex- smokers no longer need the vaccine? Somehow, I doubt it.
