Novartis Consumer Health Sponsors Quit to Win! Challenge® and Offers Nicotine Replacement Products to Help Smokers Become Smoke-Free

• Novartis Consumer Health partners on Quit to Win! Challenge^® for the seventh consecutive year
• Nicotine replacement therapies like Habitrol^® and Thrive^®, coupled with counselling and support, offer best chance at success
• Smoking costs Quebec approximately $4 billion annually in healthcare expenses¹

MONTREAL, Jan. 7, 2014 /CNW/ - Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc., a leading provider of smoking cessation products, is proud to partner on the Quit to Win! Challenge^® for the seventh consecutive year. The Quit to Win! Challenge^®, a provincial campaign, is an initiative of Capsana and is produced in partnership with several public and private organizations.

"Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc. is proud to partner on the Quit to Win! Challenge^® again this year," said David Linsenmeier, General Manager, Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc.  "Capsana provides positive and free support and encouragement, which combined with nicotine replacement therapy products like Habitrol^® and Thrive^®, can help many Quit to Win! Challenge^® participants see the success experienced by participants in previous years."

The Quit to Win! Challenge^® is a motivating, positive campaign that has for the past 15 years now, invited smokers each year who are ready to quit smoking to take action. By registering, participants commit to not smoke for at least 6 weeks, from March 1 to April 11, 2014.

Registration takes place at quitchallenge.ca up to March 1, 2014.

"According to Statistics Canada, the rate of tobacco use in Quebec is 22.4%², which represents over 1.5 million smokers," Linsenmeier said.  "For many, it may take several attempts before they are able to quit. On average, smokers make 4 attempts to quit before they succeed in not smoking any longer⁴. Nicotine replacement products deliver small, steady doses of nicotine into the body, which helps to relieve the withdrawal symptoms often felt by people trying to quit smoking."

The Quit to Win! Challenge^® is the tobacco cessation intervention that reaches the greatest number of adult smokers in Quebec. Since its beginning, nearly 360,000 smokers have participated in the Quit to Win! Challenge^®. On average, 2 out of 3 participants successfully meet the challenge of not smoking for 6 weeks. An excellent rate of success.³

The Novartis portfolio of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, the costs of which are reimbursed by the Quebec government insurance plan and by most private insurance plans, includes the Habitrol^® transdermal nicotine patch and Thrive^® lozenge and gum.

Novartis provides a comprehensive program of support resources, including a portfolio of NRT products and interactive websites (www.thrive2quit.ca and www.habitrol.ca) featuring additional resources to help quitters better manage their cravings and improve their chances of success.

About Thrive^®
Thrive products offer a novel approach to smoking cessation through the combination of unique, clinically proven nicotine replacement therapy products and powerful messages designed to help smokers beat their smoking cravings.

Thrive lozenge and gum double smokers' chances of becoming smoke-free in as little as 12 weeks.  When used as directed, Thrive lozenge and gum are proven to help ease physical cravings and reduce the desire to smoke.  Thrive helps provide smokers with the emotional support they need to succeed through a 12-week program, including a user's guide. In addition, Thrive offers a supportive website (www.thrive2quit.ca) that provides smokers tips and tools to reduce their smoking habits.

About Habitrol^®
Each 24-hour Habitrol patch is proven to provide effective craving relief for those wishing to stop smoking. In several years of consumer use and clinical trials, Habitrol has demonstrated and established a very strong safety profile which, along with its effectiveness, has led it to be used by millions of consumers around the world. Studies have shown that using Habitrol doubles your chances of quitting by allowing the user a gradual step-down process from smoking.

Habitrol works to temporarily replace some of the nicotine that cigarettes would normally supply, effectively reducing cravings for a cigarette.  Habitrol is designed so that the patch works to reduce cravings both while it is being worn, and for several hours after it has been removed. The Habitrol patch is an effective aid that should be used as part of the Habitrol System, which includes a behavioural plan to help people stop smoking.

Habitrol and Thrive are available in Jean Coutu stores, as well as other drug stores, grocery stores, and mass-market retailers in Quebec.

About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2012, the Group achieved net sales of USD 56.7 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.3 billion (USD 9.1 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 133,000 full-time equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis.

References
1	"Update on Smoking Costs to Society," Analysis report prepared for Québec Coalition for Tobacco Control http://www.smokefreeottawa.com/2004/groupedanalysecouttabaceng.pdf
2	Statistics Canada (2012). CANSIM Table 105-0502. Health indicator profile, annual estimates, by age group and sex, Canada, provinces, territories, health regions (2012 boundaries) and peer groups.
3	Gomez-Zamudio, M. (2008). Rapport d'évaluation Défi J'arrête, j'y gagne ! 2006. Direction de santé publique de Montréal.
4	Léger Marketing (2011). Étude sur les fumeurs au Québec : portrait et stratégies.

 

SOURCE: Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc.

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