Did free drugs for smoking cessation effect treatment success?

Background and Aim: Drugs used for smoking cessation had not been paid by health insurance system in our country; however, these drugs started to be given freely by community health services in case an authorized doctor prescribe them. We evaluate the treatment success after smoking cessation drugs become free. Methods: Eighty-five patients (48 males, 37 females) admitted to smoking cessation clinic at a university in Corum between July 1st 2015 - December 31st 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Mean age of patients was 37.9 years. Most common symptoms were exercise dyspnea (71.8%) and productive cough (61.2%). Sixty-six patients were prescribed Vareniclin (77.6%) and bupropion prescribed 19 patients (22.4%). At the end of 3 months therapy 26 patients (30.6%) quit smoking. Percentage of smoking cessation was 33.3% for males and 27% for females; moreover, 33.3% for varenicline and 21.1% for bupropion group (p=0.309). Mean duration of smoking was 22.1 years for quitters and 16.5 years for non-quitters (p=0.068). Fagerstrom smoking scale was adapted to the study as low (0-4), moderate (5-7), high (8-10) nicotine dependence. Percentage of quitters was 20.8%, 30.4% and 36.8% for low, moderate and high dependence patients respectively (p=0.411). There was no significant difference between varenicline and bupropion for treatment success according to nicotine dependence levels. For the patients who quit smoking, pre-treatment and post-treatment spirometry tests were compared. Mean PEF% were increased from 71.6% to 77.7% (p=0.062), mean MEF75% were increased from 75.2% to 81.2% (p=0.075). Conclusion: Free drugs for smoking cessation treatment may decrease treatment success.