UK HEALTH DEPARTMENT EXPANDS NRT ELIGIBILITY

A larger number of UK citizens will be eligible this year for nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT), according to a recent announcement by Jane Kennedy, minister of the UK's Department of Health. The use of NRT is will now be available to patient groups including adolescents over 12 years of age, pregnant or breast-feeding women and patients with heart, liver and kidney disease -- all of whom were previously unable to receive NRT treatment.

"We currently have the lowest smoking rates on record in England, but it is still the greatest single cause of death and preventable illness," said Kennedy. "[This] move targets new patient populations that are especially vulnerable to the effects of smoking and will give them the confidence they need to use NRT effectively."

The Department of Health recently published a White Paper report entitled "Choosing Health," which proposes reducing the number of smokers in the UK by 2 million by the year 2010. Widening the availability of NRT -- which includes prescription medications and smoking-cessation devices -- is thought to be a means to this end.

There are six types of NRT product currently available in the UK -- nicotine gums, the transdermal patch, nasal sprays, inhalators, sublingual tablets and lozenges.