Deaths Associated with Zyban
May 16, 2001
Zyban, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, has been taken by hundreds of thousands of people as an aid to help them stop smoking. Research indicates that one-third of all Zyban users quit smoking for more than a year. As such, Zyban appears to be twice as effective as nicotine patches. Despite this, some Zyban patients have experienced serious side effects of the drug, including seizures, blackouts, and even death.
Kerry Weston, a 21-year-old British Airways stewardess died after taking Zyban. After her initial use of the drug, Weston complained to her parents of blackouts and headaches. In fact, before a recent flight, Weston had blacked out in her hotel room and woke up with an aching head. Upon returning home, Weston's father immediately took her to the emergency room where doctors noted that her temperature was lower than normal.
On her next flight, other flight attendants noticed that she looked pale, but Weston dismissed their concerns, stating that she was simply tired. Later that evening, she died in her hotel room.
During an inquest into Weston's death, her doctor, Mark Andrews, MD, stated that Weston had visited him to discuss options for quitting smoking. Weston, who smoked 15 cigarettes a day, was ready to quit. After discussing the effectiveness and side effects of Zyban , Dr. Andrews sent Weston home with a prescription.
GlaxoSmithKline now admits that there have been more than 30 deaths associated with the drug. The company also commented that these deaths occurred after patients experienced adverse reactions to Zyban. However, the company denies that there is any significant evidence linking Zyban with the deaths. Some of the deaths may be the result of smoking-related diseases, while others occurred in patients who had stopped taking the drug weeks before.
GlaxoSmithKline also reminds patients and doctors that those people who have suffered from seizures or epilepsy, who have liver disease or who suffer from manic depression should not take Zyban. A spokesman for the company believes that an anti-malarial treatment Weston was taking at the time of her death may have contributed to the tragedy. The company also notes that many of the Zyban patients who died had serious underlying health conditions.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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