What Is Champix and Can You Still Get It in Canada?

Champix is the brand name of varenicline, a prescription tablet for quitting smoking. Health Canada’s Drug Product Database lists the Champix brand as cancelled since April 2024, and it lists a generic varenicline from Nora Pharma as marketed. A doctor or other prescriber decides whether it suits you. This page is general information only.

What is Champix?

Champix (varenicline tartrate) was made by Pfizer Canada and first went on the market in Canada in April 2007, according to the Drug Product Database. The database lists it as an oral tablet under the prescription schedule. The product monograph, the technical document written for health professionals, describes it as a smoking-cessation aid.

We read the March 2018 revision of the monograph. The database lists a later monograph dated January 2019 for the Champix 0.5 mg product, which we did not open, so some wording may differ in the newest version.

Can you still get Champix in Canada?

The Drug Product Database shows the 0.5 mg Champix product as “Cancelled Post Market” with a status date of 2024-04-10. That is a record for that one product entry, and we did not check the 1 mg entry.

Generic varenicline is a different matter. The database lists NRA-VARENICLINE from Nora Pharma, in 0.5 mg and 1 mg tablets, as marketed since June 2024. It lists a Teva starter pack as cancelled in July 2026. We did not look up every generic, so a pharmacist is the best person to say what is in stock. BC PharmaCare’s page says it helps pay for “Varenicline generics (you may know the drug as Champix)”, which fits this picture.

What is Champix used for?

The monograph says Champix is indicated for smoking-cessation treatment in adults, in conjunction with smoking-cessation counselling. For people under 18 it says safety and efficacy have not been established, so use is not recommended. It also says Champix should not be used during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, our page on quitting smoking while pregnant covers other options.

How does varenicline work?

The monograph describes varenicline as a partial agonist at a type of nicotine receptor in the brain. In plain terms, it activates that receptor to a lesser degree than nicotine does and also stops nicotine from binding there. HealthLinkBC puts it more simply: varenicline “helps reduce the craving for nicotine”. It contains no nicotine itself, so it is a different kind of product from the ones in our guide to nicotine replacement.

Who needs to be careful with Champix?

The only contraindication in the monograph is an allergy to varenicline or anything in the tablet. Everything else sits under warnings and precautions. The monograph lists these:

• Serious neuropsychiatric symptoms reported after the drug came on the market, including mood changes, agitation and suicidal thoughts. A large randomized study described in the monograph found no increased risk of serious events compared with placebo. The monograph still says anyone with strongly atypical and concerning thoughts, moods or behaviours should stop the medicine and tell a healthcare provider.
• Swelling of the face, mouth or throat, and severe skin reactions, both reported rarely.
• Seizures, so caution is advised for people with a seizure history.
• Sleepwalking, and increased effects of alcohol reported by some people.
• Heart and blood vessel events in a trial of people with stable cardiovascular disease. The monograph says the trial was too small to settle the question and that the risks should be weighed against the benefits.
• Dizziness, sleepiness and blackouts reported in some cases, with advice to avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how it affects you.
• Kidney problems. The monograph says the dose is reduced in severe renal impairment, and HealthLinkBC says kidney disease may mean you cannot take it.

The monograph also says that using nicotine replacement together with Champix may increase adverse reactions and that the combination has not been studied for safety and efficacy. Talk to a pharmacist before mixing products.

What are the common side effects?

The monograph says nausea was the most common adverse event. About 30% of people taking the 1.0 mg twice-daily dose reported it in trials, after a first week of lower doses, and it was usually mild or moderate. The most commonly observed events were nausea, abnormal dreams, constipation, flatulence and vomiting. HealthLinkBC lists nausea, trouble sleeping, abnormal dreams and feeling very tired. These figures come from trials described in a 2018 document. Your own experience may differ, and any side effect that worries you is worth a call to your pharmacist or doctor.

How do you get varenicline, and who pays?

You need a prescription. HealthLinkBC says so directly, and the Drug Product Database lists these products as prescription-only. BC’s page describes talking to a healthcare provider who prescribes it, then filling the prescription at a pharmacy.

On cost, the only official page we read is BC’s. BC PharmaCare says it covers up to one continuous course of 12 weeks (84 days) of treatment per calendar year for either nicotine replacement or a prescription medication, and that what you pay depends on your plan. Other provinces have their own rules. Start with what’s free for me and the help by province guide, and see whether your pharmacy runs a smoking cessation program.

Where can you get help deciding?

A pharmacist or your doctor can go through your health history and other medicines with you. In British Columbia, HealthLinkBC says to call 8-1-1 to reach a navigator who can connect you with a health professional. Other provinces run their own health lines. For a wider comparison, read our overview of quit-smoking medications in Canada, the page on cytisine, and how to choose your quit method.

What we could not confirm

• The current monograph. We read the March 2018 revision, and the database lists a January 2019 version that we did not open.
• The status of every varenicline product. We checked the 0.5 mg Champix entry, NRA-VARENICLINE and one Teva starter pack, and we did not check other generics.
• Why the Champix brand was cancelled. The database shows the status and date, not the reason.
• How long a course lasts and how the doses are set. We give no dosing information here, and your prescriber or the label is the source for that.
• Coverage outside British Columbia, including whether pharmacists can prescribe it in your province.