New drug for mild alcholics: how it works

Q - What is nalmefene/Selincro? A- Selincro is the brand name for nalmefene tablets, the first drug treatment licensed to help certain adults with alcohol dependence to reduce the amount of alcohol that they consume. Other drug treatments f

Date: 2014-11-26 20:53

Details:

Q - What is nalmefene/Selincro?

A- Selincro is the brand name for nalmefene tablets, the first drug treatment licensed to help certain adults with alcohol dependence to reduce the amount of alcohol that they consume. Other drug treatments for alcohol dependence are used to help people giving up altogether.

Q - Who is nalmefene suitable for?

A - Nalmefene can be prescribed by healthcare professionals for adults who: have a diagnosis of alcohol dependence, drink alcohol at a ‘high risk level’ – defined by the World Health Organisation as more than 7.5 units a day for men or more than 5 units a day for women and who continue to drink at this level two weeks after their doctor has initially assessed them. They do not have physical withdrawal symptoms, such as ‘the shakes’, sweating and nausea and do not need immediate detoxification/detox from alcohol. Nalmefene should be provided alongside counselling.

Q - Does it work?

A - Two large clinical trials of nalmefene showed that it can reduce alcohol consumption by an average of 61 per cent over six months, when used alongside counselling. Those taking nalmefene plus counselling cut their drinking from 13.5 units per day to 5 units after six months. However this was only ana verage of 1.8 units more than those only receiving counselling.

Q - What are the side effects?

A - Nalmefene is generally well tolerated. In studies the most common reactions were nausea, dizziness, insomnia, and headache.

Q - How does it work?

A - Over time, consistent unhealthy drinking may lead to physiological changes in the brain controlling the reward sensation and mean that drinking can alleviate stress or anxiety. Nalmefene is believed to reduce the urge to continue drinking by restoring the balance of these altered reward mechanisms in the brain. Nalmefene does not prevent the intoxicating effects of alcohol, and it does not induce unpleasant effects if alcohol is consumed, such as sweating, headache and sickness.

Q - How is nalmefene given?

A - Nalmefene is given in tablet form, and is taken ‘as-needed’ by the patient up to a maximum of one tablet per day. In the clinical trials patients took a tablet of nalmefene on half of the days.

Q - How much does it cost?

A - The NHS cost for nalmefene is £3.03 per tablet. The maximum daily dose is one tablet and if it is taken by patients on around half of days the average daily cost is £1.70. If all 600,000 eligble patients in England took the drug in this manner it would cost £288m per year.