Greater uptake of e-cigarettes by smokers is likely to increase the number of people who successfully give up smoking, according to an independent analysis of health interventions.
The “health technology assessment”, published by the Health Information and Quality Authority, Ireland (HIQA) Thursday, is the first in Europe to examine the cost effectiveness of e-cigarettes.
The agency’s director of health technology assessment Dr Máirín Ryan said the report “found a high level of uncertainty surrounding both the clinical and cost-effectiveness of e-cigarettes.
The report found that the most cost-effective quitting strategy is to maximise the combined use of the drug varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
Varenicline is a prescription-only medication which helps people to stop smoking by reducing withdrawal symptoms and reducing the satisfaction that can be gained from smoking. NRT is available in a number of formulations, including skin patches and inhalers.
The report found e-cigarettes were twice as effective as no therapy. However, this estimate was based on only two trials including a relatively small number of participants.
The prevalence of smoking in the Republic is 22.7 per cent in people aged 15 years and over. The prevalence is higher in men (24.3 per cent) than women (21.2 per cent), and has been in decline since 2008. Approximately 20 per cent of deaths each year can be attributed to smoking, including deaths due to second-hand smoke.
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