A Statement from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Regarding the Congressional Briefing: "The Landscape of Smoking Cessation in America"

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Mar 30, 2012, 01:15 ET

PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) sponsored a Congressional briefing, inviting the heads of nationally recognized health organizations, physicians and policy makers to discuss provisions related to smoking cessation treatment in the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The briefing, entitled "Understanding Smoking Addiction and How to Accelerate Quitting" addressed how to improve our nation's policies and programs to help smokers become tobacco free. Currently, there are several comments on public record with the FDA related to the need for more options to enhance quit-smoking treatments for smokers.(1,2,3)

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare strongly supports efforts to inform smokers of the impact tobacco use has on the body, as well as effective ways to quit. As the prevalence of quitting smoking in the United States continue to stall, more work must be done to reduce the level of tobacco dependence.(4) It is critically important that we advance the utilization of cessation options, like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and broaden the recommendations for its use to help more smokers quit. The current NRT label may be limiting for some smokers and they may have a better chance at quitting if they are able to personalize their approach and use multiple interventions.

As the maker of smoking cessation resources and medications, GSK works with governmental authorities to enhance the accessibility of NRT products by pursuing new approaches for its use and delivery that can benefit broader populations of smokers. GSK is committed to working with medical and clinical experts and the FDA to ensure smokers have the best possible options to quit smoking.

Tobacco use is the largest cause of preventable death and disease and the only proven way to reduce the health consequences is to stop using tobacco completely.(5) But, while quitting smoking is the single most important step smokers can take to improve their health, it's also one of the most difficult. NRT products have helped millions of people around the world quit smoking and as a result have significantly reduced their exposure to the risks of cancer and other smoking-related diseases.(6)

NRT is a key part of the public health solution for helping smokers overcome their addiction to cigarettes. If the overriding goal is to help smokers escape their tobacco dependence and the consequences associated with smoking, then GSK urges policy makers to consider options for expanded use of NRT products when necessary to ensure smokers have the best possible chance to quit smoking.

REFERENCES
(1) State of New York Department of Health. Citizen's Petition Pursuant to 21 CFR 10.30 to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration Requesting Expansion of Availability of Nicotine Replacement Therapy to Consumers Who Use Tobacco. January 22, 2008.

(2) Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD) and Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT). Petition to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration to alter the manner in which the agency reviews drug approval applications for and regulates nicotine replacement therapy medications. February 12, 2010.

(3) Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Submission of Citizens petition on behalf of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the American Legacy Foundation. August 26, 2010.

(4) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Press Release. U.S. Adult Smoking Rates Remain Stalled. 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r091112.htm

(5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Disease Tobacco Use. "Targeting the Nation's Leading Killer At a Glance 2011." Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/osh.htm

(6) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of FDA-approved pharmacologic treatments for tobacco dependence. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2000; 49: 665-668.