Source: http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100local/page.cfm?objectid=11017419&method=full

 

Family Seeks Probe Into Anti-smoking Drug Dad

 

Apr 9 2001

 

by Rebekah Ashby, The Journal

 

 

The family of a North man who died while taking an anti-smoking drug has called for an inquiry after new figures revealed the death toll among people using it has almost doubled in less than two months.

Michelle Smith, said last night that an inquiry into the death of her step-father, Alan Ridley, is the only way to help her explain to her two-and-a-half-year-old son James why he doesn't have a grandfather.

Questions were raised over the safety of Zyban, the drug to help smokers quit, following the death of Mr Ridley from Sunderland.

Coroner Martin Shaw recorded an open verdict at an inquest into the death of the 46-year-old in February and said that he could not confirm whether the nicotine-free drug Zyban had played a part.

Mr Shaw pledged to notify the Medicines Control Agency of the death after a post-mortem examination could find no conclusive cause for the bus driver's sudden death at his Howick Park home in Monkwearmouth.

Mr Ridley had smoked between 20 and 40 cigarettes for much of his life but this was his first serious attempt to give up.

The coroner said Zyban might not have played a part, but it could have combined with other factors, such as Mr Ridley's history of seizures or other medication he was taking.

Since February the number of smokers who have died after taking the drug that 'cures' nicotine addiction has risen from 18 to 35.

It means that almost the same number of people died after taking Zyban in the past seven weeks as in the seven-and-a-half months after the drug was launched last June.

Ms Smith said: "It was extremely difficult for James to understand why he doesn't have a Grandad anymore.

"I keep showing him his pictures because he knew him very well but how can I explain it to my two-and-a-half-year-old son when I don't even know what happened myself?

"I can't close that chapter in my life until we know what actually happened to my dad."

At the end of March, doctors reported 4,986 suspected adverse reactions to Zyban to the Medicines Control Agency - 1,529 more than seven weeks earlier - when initial figures were published.

These reactions included chest pains, fits, seizures and depression.

Ms Smith said: "People don't expect to take that sort of risk when they start taking a drug which has been prescribed by a doctor. There should be an inquiry."

Mr Ridley was found dead at home days after starting a course of the drug.

Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, chair of the committee on the safety of medicines for the Department of Health, said: "We are keeping the safety of Zyban under close, constant scrutiny and all reports received are examined in great detail.

"Zyban is used in a population of patients who are put at risk because of smoking and therefore reports of deaths of patients receiving Zyban are to be expected."

A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Zyban, said last night: "We have to remember that Zyban is a medicine which is used by a group of people, namely smokers, who are already at risk.

"For all new medicines on the market about 2pc of reported adverse reactions are associated with a fatal outcome. With Zyban that proportion of reports is just 1pc.

"The Committee for the Safety of Medicines and the Medicine Control Agency are watching the situation carefully but we have no conclusive evidence of a link between the drug and the deaths that have been reported."

Of the 35 who died, 13 had heart disease, one had a heart attack, two committed suicide, one had acute asthma and six had brain disorders. In 12 cases, the cause of death was unknown.

 

 

Apr 9 2001

by Rebekah Ashby, The Journal

 

 

The family of a North man who died while taking an anti-smoking drug has called for an inquiry after new figures revealed the death toll among people using it has almost doubled in less than two months.

Michelle Smith,said last night that an inquiry into the death of her step-father, Alan Ridley, is the only way to help her explain to her two-and-a-half-year-old son James why he doesn't have a grandfather.

Questions were raised over the safety of Zyban, the drug to help smokers quit, following the death of Mr Ridley from Sunderland.

Coroner Martin Shaw recorded an open verdict at an inquest into the death of the 46-year-old in February and said that he could not confirm whether the nicotine-free drug Zyban had played a part.

Mr Shaw pledged to notify the Medicines Control Agency of the death after a post-mortem examination could find no conclusive cause for the bus driver's sudden death at his Howick Park home in Monkwearmouth.

>Mr Ridley had smoked between 20 and 40 cigarettes for much of his life but this was his first serious attempt to give up.

The coroner said Zyban might not have played a part, but it could have combined with other factors, such as Mr Ridley's history of seizures or other medication he was taking.

Since February the number of smokers who have died after taking the drug that 'cures' nicotine addiction has risen from 18 to 35.

It means that almost the same number of people died after taking Zyban in the past seven weeks as in the seven-and-a-half months after the drug was launched last June.

Ms Smith said: "It was extremely difficult for James to understand why he doesn't have a Grandad anymore.

"I keep showing him his pictures because he knew him very well but how can I explain it to my two-and-a-half-year-old son when I don't even know what happened myself?

"I can't close that chapter in my life until we know what actually happened to my dad."

At the end of March, doctors reported 4,986 suspected adverse reactions to Zyban to the Medicines Control Agency - 1,529 more than seven weeks earlier - when initial figures were published.

These reactions included chest pains, fits, seizures and depression.

Ms Smith said: "People don't expect to take that sort of risk when they start taking a drug which has been prescribed by a doctor. There should be an inquiry."

Mr Ridley was found dead at home days after starting a course of the drug.

Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, chair of the committee on the safety of medicines for the Department of Health, said: "We are keeping the safety of Zyban under close, constant scrutiny and all reports received are examined in great detail.

"Zyban is used in a population of patients who are put at risk because of smoking and therefore reports of deaths of patients receiving Zyban are to be expected."

A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Zyban, said last night: "We have to remember that Zyban is a medicine which is used by a group of people, namely smokers, who are already at risk.

"For all new medicines on the market about 2pc of reported adverse reactions are associated with a fatal outcome. With Zyban that proportion of reports is just 1pc.

"The Committee for the Safety of Medicines and the Medicine Control Agency are watching the situation carefully but we have no conclusive evidence of a link between the drug and the deaths that have been reported."

Of the 35 who died, 13 had heart disease, one had a heart attack, two committed suicide, one had acute asthma and six had brain disorders. In 12 cases, the cause of death was unknown.

 

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