Zyban Link to Deaths in Britain Probed January 18, 2002
News Summary
Britain's Medicine Control Agency (MCA) is investigating whether the deaths of 57 people are linked to the anti-smoking drug Zyban, Reuters reported Jan. 17."There have been 57 reports of suspected adverse reaction to Zyban which had a fatal outcome. The contribution of Zyban to these fatal cases is unproven, and in the majority of cases the individual's underlying condition may provide an alternative explanation," said a safety update posted on the MCA's website.
The website said that the MCA has received thousands of reports of suspected adverse reactions to Zyban, which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. "Our position is that we are keeping an eye on the drug at the moment," said a MCA spokesman.
A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline responded, "There is currently no reason to believe that patients taking Zyban have an increased risk of death. The medicine is used in patients who are already at risk because of smoking. Smoking-related disease claims 320 lives a day."
An estimated 500,000 people have taken the drug in Britain.
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