Bupropion SR was selected because there is modest evidence that it may be more efficacious than the nicotine patch, 11, 14 suggesting that we might observe differential efficacy in the current trial. Also, bupropion has never been directly compared with the nicotine lozenge. Finally, smokers could be encouraged to seek out this prescribed agent, and insurers and health care systems could be encouraged to make this treatment more widely available, if it could be demonstrated that bupropion is more efficacious than over-the-counter (OTC) medication (e.g., the nicotine patch or lozenge).
