Varenicline was approved as a replacement therapy for smoking back in 2007 in Australia, the uptake for varenicline has remained high despite issues associated with patient adherence and access to the therapy. In this interview, touchRESPIRATORY were delighted to speak with Prof. Michael Abramson (Monash University, Victoria, Australia) to discuss his randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and safety of varenicline in smokers admitted to hospital.
The abstract ‘Varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy for smokers admitted to hospitals: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.‘ was presented at ERS 2023, 9 – 13 September 2023.
Questions
- What impact has varenicline had as a replacement therapy for smokers in Australia, since approval? (0:31)
- What issues surround adherence to varenicline? (2:06)
- What were the aims and design of your trial? (3:36)
- What were the key findings and take-home messages? (5:40)
- How significant are follow-up sessions and behavioural support in smoking cessation treatment? (8:10)
Disclosures: Michael Abramson discloses consulting for Sanofi; receiving grant/research support from Pfizer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, GSK, and Sanofi; participating in speaker’s bureaus with GSK; and the VANISH trial was funded by the Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence (GRAND), an independently reviewed competitive grants program supported by Pfizer.
Support: Interview and filming supported by Touch Medical Media Ltd. Interview conducted by Victoria Jones.
Filmed in coverage of the ERS Annual Meeting.
