NHS to offer 'game-changer' daily pill to help thousands quit smoking

A daily anti-smoking pill will be rolled out on the NHS to help tens of thousands of people quit the habit, Amanda Pritchard will announce on Tuesday.

The NHS chief executive hailed varenicline as a "game-changer" in the battle to reduce the burden of smoking-related illnesses on the health service.

It works by reducing cravings for nicotine and blocking its effect on the brain, while also combating withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and difficulty sleeping.

Research has shown the drug is as effective as vapes and better than nicotine-replacement gum or patches. When used alongside behavioural support such as counselling, it can help one in four people stop smoking for at least six months.

Estimates suggest the pill could be prescribed to more than 85,000 people annually, preventing up to 9,500 deaths over the next five years.

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During a speech at the NHS Providers annual conference in Liverpool, Ms Pritchard is expected to say: "This simple daily pill could be a game-changer for people who want to quit smoking and is another vital step in shifting our NHS further towards prevention.

"Smoking remains one of the biggest public health issues facing the NHS and has devastating impacts on the body - from the lungs, to the heart, blood and brain, while also increasing risk of cancer, diabetes and stroke.

"Alongside supporting the Government's ambition to create the first smoke-free generation, we are giving current smokers the tools they need to quit - with proven treatment options like this, alongside specialist care, helping to save thousands of lives and the NHS millions of pounds in treatment costs."

A branded version of the pill known as Champix was previously available but it was withdrawn in 2021 as a precaution after an impurity was discovered.

Analysis by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in 2018 found that for every £1 spent on Champix, £1.65 was saved through the prevention of smoking-related illnesses and hospital admissions.

Varenicline is a cheaper, generic version of the same drug. It has been approved as safe by medicines regulators and is being rolled out after NHS England struck a deal with pharmaceutical company Teva UK.

Around six million people - one in eight adults - smoke in the UK and there were more than 400,000 linked hospital admissions in England in 2022-23.

The NHS spends around £2.5 billion on treating health problems caused by smoking. Use of varenicline could deliver savings of more than £500 million for the taxpayer, estimates suggest.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Prevention is better than cure. The rollout of this pill can save the NHS millions of pounds, save appointments to help other patients be seen faster, and save lives.

"Taken alongside our tobacco and vapes bill, the government and NHS are building a healthy society to help power a healthy economy."

Asthma + Lung UK's director of external affairs, Henry Gregg, welcomed the news.

He said: "While the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will protect younger generations from the harms caused by this deadly addiction, the hundreds of thousands of current smokers who want to give up must also be supported. It is incredibly difficult to quit smoking without help."

Cancer Research UK's executive director of policy, Dr Ian Walker, said: "Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK and stopping completely is the best thing you can do for your health.

"It's great news that the NHS is making varenicline an option for people trying to quit."