A new drug is being made available to alcoholics in Britain. It is being prescribed to women and men who drink either two glasses of wine, or three pints of beer a day.
It is called Nalmefene and is to be offered to around 600,000 people in England and Wales.
It works by blocking the part of the brain which gives drinkers pleasure from alcohol, stopping them from wanting more than one drink.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommended the tablet's use after trials showed it cut drinking by 61% over six months when used with counselling.
Experts claim the drug, which costs stg£3 (€3.81) a pill, could save as many as 1,854 lives over five years and prevent 43,074 alcohol-related diseases and injuries.
Nalmefene, also known as Selincro, is the only licensed medicine which helps people reduce their drinking rather than aiding them to stop drinking altogether.
Severe alcoholics and those who are able to cut down without help would not be eligible for the drug. It is administered orally once a day and is taken when people feel the urge to drink.
Men would qualify to receive the treatment if they consume 7.5 units of alcohol per day - around three to four pints of standard strength lager.
It would be offered to women who consume five units a day, which amounts to around half a bottle of wine.
Professor Carole Longson, at Nice health technology evaluation centre, said: "Alcohol dependence is a serious issue for many people."
"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."
"We are pleased to be able to recommend the use of nalmefene to support people further in their efforts to fight alcohol dependence. When used alongside psychosocial support, nalmefene is clinically and cost effective for the NHS compared with psychosocial support alone," she added.
A final decision to roll out the drug on the NHS in England at a cost of stg£288m (€366m) a year will be taken in November.
It has been provided to patients in Scotland since October last year.
Dr Sarah Jarvis is a GP in England. She says the drug could save the British health service a fortune.
