In Ireland, a report by the Irish Health and Quality Information Authority (HIQA) concluded that e-cigarettes were the most cost-effective way to quit smoking. This famous report will be landmark since it is the very first of its kind in Europe.
IRELAND IS WITH THIS REPORT THE WAY FORWARD
According to the first official analysis of its kind in Europe, e-cigarettes represent a cost-effective way to help smokers quit smoking. This analysis comes to us from Ireland, which is currently the only country in the European Union to have included e-cigarettes in a state-proposed assessment informing citizens about the best way to quit smoking.
Dublin Health and Quality Information Authority (HIQA) found that more and more people were using the e-cigarette as it really kicked their habits. According to them, e-cigarettes are profitable and could save millions of public funds each year.
However, the health authority, which has not yet released its final report, acknowledges that the long-term effects of using e-cigarettes have not yet been established. She states that the e-cigarette would be a more effective way to help people quit smoking if its use was combined with a varenicline medication (Champix) or with nicotine gums, inhalers or patches. Unfortunately, the rendering of this combination would be more expensive than the simple use of e-cigarette.
For the Dr. Mairin Ryan, Director for Health Technology Assessment at the HIQA, ” there remains a high level of uncertainty regarding the clinical aspect and cost-effectiveness of the e-cigarette. Adding, however, that " Hiqa's analysis shows that increased consumption of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid would increase success compared to the situation in Ireland. This would be profitable, The effectiveness of the e-cigarette being confirmed by other studies. »
WHAT THE HIQA REPORT REVEALS
:: Varenicline (Champix) was the only effective drug to stop smoking (more than two and a half times more effective than other drugs).
:: Varenicline (Champix) combined with nicotine replacement therapy was more than three-and-a-half times more effective than without medication;
:: E-cigarettes were twice as effective as quitting without therapy (a revelation based on just two trials with relatively small numbers of participants).
Dublin Health and Quality Information Authority (HIQA) makes its findings available for public consultation before agreeing on a final report, which will be presented to Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Health.
For information, nearly a third of Irish smokers use e-cigarettes to end smoking, Ireland spends over 40 million euros (£ 34 million) each year to help people quit smoking.
The HIQA report states that an increase in the use of Champix combined with nicotine replacement therapy would be 'profitable' but could cost nearly eight million euros (£ 6,8 million) in healthcare. It was found that an increase in the use of electronic cigarettes would reduce the bill by 2,6 million euros (£ 2,2 million) each year.
