Helpline users unaffected by free NRT or extended support

摘要

OFFERING smokers free nicotine replacement patches and extended telephone counselling via England's NHS smoking helpline makes no difference to quit rates, according to a BMJ study published online (23 March 2012). Researchers carried out a randomised controlled trial of 2,591 smokers who called the helpline between February 2009 and February 2010. Each smoker was randomly assigned to receive either: standard support alone; or standard support coupled with six weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy and/or additional telephone counselling sessions.