House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

For more information, contact: Brian Lawrence, (202) 225-3527

Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Republican Member Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) human studies on the smoking cessation drug Chantix. 

A June 17, 2008 story in the Washington Times alleged that veterans were not properly informed about the potentially dangerous side effects when using Chantix.

According to the article, the Food and Drug Administration alerted the VA in November that Chantix could cause severe psychotic affects, including hallucinations and suicide.  The veteran highlighted in the article allegedly was not notified of these affects until his own reported psychotic episode, in February of this year.

In response to this story, Buyer sent a letter to the VA Office of the Inspector General and VA’s Chief Research and Development Officer requesting an immediate investigation. Buyer also made the following statement: 

“VA research has been invaluable in providing breakthrough medical advances for veterans and the American public.  Thorough human subject protection safeguards have been the subject of legislation and many previous hearings by this committee. I am troubled by allegations that these safeguards may have not been in place for this study and I am requesting an immediate investigation into this matter and I asked that VA report back to me as soon as possible.”

For more news from House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Republicans, please go to: 

http://republicans.veterans.house.gov/

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