Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi contacted colleagues at his old agency as a lobbyist for Pfizer earlier this year, seeking updates on whether Chantix would remain on the VA’s list of approved prescription drugs amid new warnings of dangerous side effects, The Washington Times reports.

The government had just banned Chantix for use by pilots and air traffic controllers because of potential side effects on alertness and motor skills, and had also warned the smoking-cessation pill could cause depression, suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide, the paper notes, adding that Pfizer wanted insight on the VA’s intent for the drug, which has been prescribed to thousands of veterans.

Pfizer maintains that Principi’s contacts with his old agency didn’t amount to lobbying and that all he did was pass along requests via e-mail asking whether an internal study that examined 27 veterans hospitalized for psychotic episodes while taking Chantix would be made public, the Times writes. Principi declined to comment to the paper.

E-mails reviewed by The Washington Times also reveal that Principi forwarded inquiries from Pfizer about Chantix’s status on the VA’s list of prescribed drugs, at one point stating, “I really hate to be a pain, but I keep getting asked these questions,” according to the Times.

The disclosure of Pfizer’s dealings with the VA come as Congress investigates why the VA took three months to alert its patients about Chantix side effects, even when it knew veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder were among those taking the drug. The first hearing is set to begin today before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to testify that the VA will review all drug protocols for treating PTSD, the Times writes.