Peter Hajek

Profile

Peter Hajek is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Health and Lifestyle Research Unit at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine.

His research is concerned primarily with understanding health behaviours, and developing and evaluating both behavioural and pharmacological treatments for dependent smokers and for people with weight problems. He has contributed to the establishment of the UK specialist stop-smoking service, training of its staff, and relevant NICE guidelines.

He is a recipient of research grants of over £10,000,000, holds a number of academic and editorial appointments, and authored or co-authored over 300 publications.

Research

Current Projects

• Group weight management programme versus best practice primary care intervention
• Randomised trial of 5:2 diet
• Tailoring prescriptions of stop smoking medications to patient reactions
• Randomised trial of nicotine patch preloading for smoking cessation
• E-cigarettes: Speed of nicotine delivery
• International Smoking Cessation Education Collaboration
• Complementing current pharmacological treatments for smokers with sensory replacement
• Adding E-cigarettes to standard NHS stop-smoking treatment
• Comparison of efficacy of E-cigarettes versus standard NHS stop-smoking treatment
• Dual users who smoke and vape: Cohort follow-up study
• Endurance of self-imposed discomfort and distress tolerance as factors in behaviour change
• Effects of varenicline on alcohol consumption and enjoyment

Publications

Recent Publications

• Hajek P, McRobbie H, Myers K (2013), The efficacy of cytisine in helping smokers quit: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Thorax 68; 1037–1042
• Hajek P, Myers K, Dhanji A, McRobbie H (2013), Is a combination of varenicline and nicotine patch more effective in helping smokers quit than varenicline alone? A randomised controlled trial. BMC Medicine, 11:140 doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-140
• Hajek P, Foulds J, Le Houezec J, Sweanor D, Yach D (2013), Should electronic-cigarettes be regulated as a medicinal device? Lancet Respiratory Medicine, doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(13)70124-3
• Hajek P. (2013), Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation. (Comment). The Lancet, 382; 1614-1616
• Ussher M, Beard E, Abikoye G, Hajek P, West R (2013), Cigarette cravings over 52 weeks of abstinence. Psychopharmacology 226:83–89
• Snuggs S, Hajek P (2013), Responsiveness to reward following cessation of smoking.Psychopharmacology, 225(4):869-73
• Brown J, Hajek P, McRobbie H, Locker J, Gillison F, McEwen A, Beard E, West R (2013), Cigarette craving and withdrawal symptoms during temporary abstinence and the effect of nicotine gum.Psychopharmacology, 2013 May 2. [Epub ahead of print]
• Kralikova E, Novak J, West R, Kmetova A, Hajek P (2013), Do e-cigarettes have the potential to compete with conventional cigarettes? A survey of conventional cigarette smokers’ experience with e-cigarettes. Chest, 144,1609-1614
• Stapleton, J, West R, Hajek P, Wheeler J, Vangeli E, Abdi Z, O'Gara C, McRobbie H, Humphrey K, Ali R, Strang J, Sutherland, G (2013), Randomized trial of NRT, bupropion, and NRT plus bupropion for smoking cessation: effectiveness in clinical practice. Addiction, DOI: 10.1111/add.12304
• Hsueh K, Hsue S, Chou M, Tu M, McRobbie H, West O, Hajek P (2013), Smoking cessation treatment outcomes in men and women in Taiwan: Implications for interpreting gender differences in smoking cessation. Open Addiction Journal, 6, 1-5
• Proctor B, Kyers K, McRobbie H, Hajek P (2013), National survey of NHS stop smoking service provision in hospitals in Great Britain: Current practice, barriers and facilitators. Addiction Research & Therapy
• Stimson G, Hajek P and 11 others (2013), E-cigarettes are helping smokers. Financial Times, 26. November
• Attwood, A., Aveyard, P., Bauld, L., Britton, J., Hajek, P., Hastings, G., McNeill, A., Munafò, M., Murray, R., Shahab, L., West, R. (2013), Tobacco. In: Principles of Addiction: Comprehensive Addictive Behaviors and Disorders. Elsevier Inc., San Diego: Academic Press, pp. 767–776.
• Hajek P. (2013), E-smoking. Letter to Editor, The Times, 26. January.
• Xiao D, Wang C, Chen H, Hajek P (2013), Making hospitals in China smoke-free: A prospective study of implementing the new standard. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 15, 2076-2080
• Goniewicz M, Hajek P, McRobbie H (2013), Nicotine content of electronic cigarettes, its release in vapour, and its consistency across batches: Regulatory implications. Addiction Addiction DOI: 10.1111/add.12410
• Hajek P, McRobbie H, Myers Smith K, Phillips A, Cornwall D, Dhanji A. (2015), Increasing varenicline dose in smokers who do not react to the standard dosage: Placebo controlled randomised trial.JAMA Internal Medicine. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.6916
• McRobbie H, Bullen C, Hajek P (2014), Review of efficacy of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and harm reduction. Cochrane Reviews.
• Hajek P, Etter JF, Benowitz N, Eissenberg T, McRobbie H (2014), Electronic cigarettes: use, content, safety, effects on smokers, and potential for harm and benefit. Addiction, doi:10.1111/add.12659
• Gonzales D, Hajek P, Pliamm L, Nackaerts K, Tseng L, McRae T, Treadow J (2014), Re-treatment with varenicline for smoking cessation in smokers who have previously taken varenicline: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Jun 9. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2014.124. [Epub ahead of print]
• Lindson-Hawley N, Coleman T, Docherty G, Hajek P, Lewis S, Lycett D, McEwen A, McRobbie H, Munafo M. Parrott S, Aveyard P. (2014), Nicotine patch preloading for smoking cessation (the preloading trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. Jun 9. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2014.124. [Epub ahead of print]
• McNeill A, Bates C, Etter JF, Farsalinos C, Hajek P, leHouezec J, McRobbie H. (2014),A critique of a WHO-commissioned report and associated article on electronic cigarettes. Addiction Sep 5. doi: 10.1111/add.12730. [Epub ahead of print]
• McRobbie H, Myers-Smith K, Homsey C, Hobart V, Watson R, Betteridge S, Rendall M, Turnbull L, Hajek P (2014),An evaluation of the fresh start weight project: long-term outcomes. Obesity Reviews, 15(Suppl. 2):147
• Peerbux S, McRobbie H, Myers-Smith K, Hajek P. Recruitment strategies for a weight action programme: are GPs referring? Obesity Reviews 2014, 15 (Suppl. 2):147
• Hajek P. (2014),Electronic cigarettes have a potential for huge public health benefit. BMC Medicine,12:225
• Hajek P. (2014) Doctors should recommend that smokers who cannot stop smoking with other methods or who do not want to stop smoking switch to e-cigarettes. Prev Tab; 16(4): 248-249
• Hajek P, Goniewicz M, Phillips A, Myers Smith K, West O, McRobbie H (2014), Nicotine intake from electronic cigarettes on initial use and after four weeks of regular use. Nicotine and Tobacco Research Research Aug. pii: ntu153. [Epub ahead of print]
• McNeill A, Bates C, Etter JF, Farsalinos C, Hajek P, leHouezec J, McRobbie H. (2014) A critique of a WHO-commissioned report and associated article on electronic cigarettes. Addiction Sep 5. doi: 10.1111/add.12730. [Epub ahead of print]
• McRobbie H, Bullen C, Hajek P (2014) Review of efficacy of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and harm reduction. Cochrane Reviews.
• Hajek P. (2014) The UK SWAP Offer Initiative. Arc, New Scientist, London 
• Peerbux S, McRobbie H, Myers-Smith K, Hajek P: Recruitment strategies for a weight action programme: are GPs referring? Obesity Reviews 2014, 15 (Suppl. 2):147
• Hajek P. Electronic cigarettes – friend or foe. HealthWatch 2014, 93, 7.
• McRobbie H, Myers-Smith K, Homsey C, Hobart V, Watson R, Betteridge S, Rendall M, Turnbull L, Hajek P (2014) An evaluation of the fresh start weight project: long-term outcomes. Obesity Reviews, 15(Suppl. 2):147.
• Hajek P, McRobbie H, Myers Smith K, Phillips A, Cornwall D, Dhanji A. (2015) Increasing varenicline dose in smokers who do not react to the standard dosage: Placebo controlled randomised trial. JAMA Internal Medicine. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.6916 
• Jiménez-Ruiz C, Lewis A, Tonnesen P, van Schayck C, Hajek P, Tonstad S, Dautzenberg B, Fletcher M, Masefield S, Powell P, Hering T, Nardini S, Tonia T, Gratziou C. (2015) Statement on smoking cessation in COPD and other pulmonary diseases and in smokers with comorbidities who find it difficult to quit. Eur Respir J. 2015 Apr 16. pii: ERJ-00926-2014. [Epub ahead of print]
• Hajek P (2015) The development and testing of new nicotine replacement treatments: From ‘nicotine replacement’ to ‘smoking replacement’. Addiction Jul;110 Suppl S2:19-22. doi: 10.1111/add.12905.
• Electronic cigarettes and smoking cessation: an interview with Professor Peter Hajek (2015) News Medical, Thought Leaders Series, http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150205/Electronic-cigarettes-and-smoking-cessation-an-interview-with-Professor-Peter-Hajek.aspx
• West R, Hajek P, Mcneill A, Brown J, Arnott D (2015) Electronic cigarettes: what we know so far. A report to UK All Party Parliamentary Groups. www.smokinginengland.info/reports/
• McNeill A, Brose L, Calder R, Hitchman C, Hajek P, McRobbie M. E-cigarettes: the need for clear communication on relative risks. The Lancet, published online August 28, 2015 
  
• M, Kakara G, Hajek P, West R (in press) Dependence versus motivation to stop smoking as predictors of success of a quit attempt: a direct comparison in a clinical sample. Addictive Behaviours
• McRobbie H, Phillips A, Goniewicz M, Myers Smith K, Knight-West O, Przulj D, Hajek P. (2015) Effects of using e-cigarettes with and without concurrent smoking on intake of cigarette smoke and acrolein. Cancer Prevention Research Sep;8 (9):873-8. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-15-0058.
• Hajek P. (2015) The Big Six classification of mechanical puzzles. CFF, 96, 8-9
• Hajek P. (2015) Gateway doubt. New Scientist, 4 April 2015, 56.
• Hajek P (2015) E-cigarettes do not release dangerous levels of aldehydes. Addiction, Addiction. 2015 Aug;110(8):1357-1358. doi: 10.1111/add.12958. 
• Hajek P, Corbin L, Ladmore D and Spearing E. (2015) Adding e-cigarettes to specialist stop-smoking treatment: City of London pilot project. Addiction Research and Therapy. 
• McNeill A, Brose L, Calder R, Hitchman S, Hajek P, McRobbie H. (2015) E-cigarettes: an evidence update. Public Health England Report
• Hajek P, Goniewicz M, Phillips A, Myers Smith K, West O, McRobbie H (2015) Nicotine intake from electronic cigarettes on initial use and after four weeks of regular use. Nicotine and Tobacco Research Research 17:175-179

Expertise

Health behaviours
Tobacco dependence
Smoking cessation
Weight management