Scotland approves alcohol craving suppressant nalmefene

Scotland has approved a drug that suppresses the feel good effects of alcohol. It is the first country in Europe to approve nalmefene, which will be available on the NHS for patients living in Scotland.

Nalmefene has been developed specifically for alcohol abusers, but it does not aid alcoholics. The Scottish Medicines Consortium has approved nalmefene but has said that it must be used in conjunction with counselling and support.

Cuts alcohol consumption by half

Human trials with the drug showed that after six months alcohol consumption was reduced by half for men who drank eight units a day and for women who drank six daily units. For men this represents a cut from three to four pints a day to around two pints.

The pill must be taken before drinking and does not need to be taken every day. When it is taken the drug reduces the amount of dopamine released during drinking, which reduces the associated ‘buzz’. As a result the reward centres are switched off and people crave less alcohol.

Scotland has the greatest number of alcohol-related deaths per population in the UK, with twice as many men dying in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK.

Nalmefene currently costs £3 per tablet under the brand Selincro. It will be prescribed to high-risk, heavy drinkers.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium said: “Nalmefene should only be prescribed in conjunction with continuous psychosocial support focused on treatment adherence and reducing alcohol consumption.”

This drug should help otherwise responsible drinkers to limit their weekly intake of alcohol. Often people decide to just have one drink, which then leads to a binge. Nalmefene should hopefully stop most cases of this.