NICE recommends drug to cut alcohol dependency

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued draft guidance recommending the use of a drug designed to help alcohol-dependent patients reduce the amount they drink.

Final guidance will be published next month, but it is now widely expected Lundbeck's Selincro treatment will get the green light, making around 600,000 people eligible to receive the medication.

Taken as a daily tablet, Selincro – also known by its scientific name nalmefene – is prescribed to patients with a high drinking risk two weeks after initial assessment.

In clinical trials, the drug was shown to help patients cut the amount they drink by an average of 61 per cent after six months. It is not intended to lead to complete abstinence and is recommended for use alongside psychosocial support.

Professor Carole Longson, director of the NICE Health Technology Evaluation Centre, said: "Those who could be prescribed nalmefene have already taken the first big steps by visiting their doctor, engaging with support services and taking part in therapy programmes."