Can Ozempic help reduce harmful alcohol use?

The University of South Wales (USW) has secured funding to explore whether weight-loss medications could play a role in reducing alcohol-related harm.

Funded by UK Research and Innovation (as part of their Addiction Healthcare Goals programme), researchers will explore whether widely used GLP-1 medications, typically prescribed for diabetes and weight-loss (such as Ozempic and Mounjaro), could have a safe and effective role with services who support people experiencing harm with their drug and/or alcohol use.

In partnership with Kaleidoscope, a leading Welsh charity delivering drug and alcohol services across Wales and the Wirral, the project will form a collaborative programme of engagement with people with lived experience, healthcare professionals, and clinical leads.

Alcohol-related deaths are continuing to rise in Wales, with more people experiencing significant alcohol-related harms alongside co-occurring conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Emerging scientific evidence suggests that weight-loss injections may help reduce alcohol consumption by changing the way the brain deals with reward and cravings.

The project will:

• review existing evidence on GLP-1 medications and their potential effect on drug and alcohol use
• assess feasibility and acceptability among patients and frontline drug and alcohol workers
• outline the first pilot clinical trial of prescribing GLP-1 medication for people experiencing harm with their alcohol use within a third-sector service.

Bev John, Professor of Addictions and Health Psychology, said: “GLP-1 medication is not currently approved for the treatment of alcohol dependence. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that they are causing some people to consume less alcohol. Before these medicines can be used more broadly in treatment services, we need to understand more about the risks associated with their use and make sure any treatment programmes are practical and suitable for the people who may benefit from them.”

Ruth Bowley, Kaleidoscope’s Research and Development Lead, said: “This project highlights the importance of innovation in the sector. As alcohol-related harms increase, so too does the need for new approaches that address both physical and psychological health. Working with the people who access our services, our healthcare professionals and academics, the project will help determine whether GLP-1 prescribing could offer a transformative new option for people living with alcohol related harm.”

This work aligns with major national priorities, including the Welsh Government’s substance misuse delivery plan, the Office for Life Sciences’ UK Addiction Healthcare Goals, Dame Carol Black’s independent review of drugs, and wider UK policy interest in the repurposing of medications for addiction treatment.