GSK advocates broadening scope of nicotine replacement therapy

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare strongly supported efforts to inform smokers of the impact tobacco use has on the body, as well as effective ways to quit, during a congressional briefing Friday that was sponsored by Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Tim Murphy, R-Pa.

The briefing, entitled "Understanding Smoking Addiction and How to Accelerate Quitting," addressed how to improve the nation's policies and programs to help smokers become tobacco free.

"As the prevalence of quitting smoking in the United States continue to stall, more work must be done to reduce the level of tobacco dependence," GSK stated. "It is critically important that we advance the utilization of cessation options, like nicotine replacement therapy, and broaden the recommendations for its use to help more smokers quit. The current NRT label may be limiting for some smokers and they may have a better chance at quitting if they are able to personalize their approach and use multiple interventions."