A Cochrane review of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation has found that combining different products is more effective than using just a patch, in an endorsement of Australian guidelines.

But according to former GP Dr Colin Mendelsohn, chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, combination nicotine replacement therapy is underused because of concerns about its cost and safety.

In a systematic review of 63 trials that included 41,000 participants with at least six months’ follow-up, UK researchers compared different forms and doses of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to determine the optimal treatment for ensuring long-term smoking cessation.

All patients enrolled in the studies were motivated to quit and typically smoked at least 15 cigarettes per day at trial commencement.