The NHS will start offering an “improved” stop smoking pill to tens of thousands of people in England who want to quit cigarettes.
Varenicline, a daily tablet given over a few months, is as effective as vapes and more effective than nicotine replacement gum or patches, NHS England says.
The drug, which fights cravings, was available a few years ago on the NHS under the brand name Champix but was withdrawn due to some impurities. The new version has been approved as safe.
Varenicline is a prescription only medicine, which means people cannot buy it over the counter at a pharmacy or supermarket and will instead need to see their GP or an NHS stop smoking service to get it.
It works by reducing cravings for nicotine and blocking its effect on the brain, while also helping with withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling irritable or having difficulty sleeping.
When used alongside behavioural support, such as counselling, it has been shown to help around one in four people to stop smoking for at least six months, said NHS England.
Around one in eight adults – six million people in the UK – are smokers.
There were more than 400,000 hospital admissions in England linked to smoking last year.
Each year the NHS spends around £2.5bn on treating health issues caused by smoking – it is the leading cause of preventable illness and deaths.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The rollout of this pill can save the NHS millions of pounds, save appointments to help other patients be seen faster and save lives.”
Announcing the launch at the NHS Providers annual conference, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said the drug could be a “game-changer” for people who want to quit smoking.
