OTC nicotine patch: Effectiveness alone and with brief physician intervention

Objectives: Compare the effectiveness of transdermal nicotine in an OTC (no behavioral support) vs. a physician-based minimal intervention setting (MD ). Methods: Three hundred healthy adult smokers completed follow-up visits at Weeks 2, 6, 26, and 52. Subjects purchased 15 mg patches ad lib for 26 w eeks. Results: No significant differences in abstinence rates between group s were found. Abstinence rates for all randomized ranged from 4.0% to 9.3%. Abstinence rates for all who purchased patches ranged from 5.3% to 12.5%. Conclusions: Use of OTC nicotine patch resulted in low cessation rates,but comparable to those when patch was combined with brief physician interventi on.