BRITISH TRIAL BOLSTERS CASE FOR WELL-SUPERVISED ALCOHOL TREATMENT

** Now available for FREE download from www.drugandalcoholfindings.org.uk **

In a major British trial, an alcohol dependence therapy designed to improve on short
motivational approaches did not result in greater benefits for the patients or cost
savings for society, though both therapies were followed by substantial gains on both
fronts.

The UK Alcohol Treatment Trial (UKATT) recruited 742 alcohol-dependent patients seeking
treatment at seven substance misuse treatment services in England and Wales. They were
randomly allocated either to three sessions of motivational enhancement therapy or eight
of social behaviour and network therapy, each spread over eight to 12 weeks.

The study highlights the importance of insisting on and being prepared to fund not just
initial training, but continued coaching incorporating feedback to therapists based on
actual practice sessions. In the process, funders may reap cost savings for the broader
public sector and in particular for the health service. However, the analysis in DRUG AND
ALCOHOL FINDINGS argues that assessing alcohol treatment on this basis is as perverse as
asking whether cancer treatment saves money: its role is to extend and improve the quality
of life through the expenditure of public resources, not to save those resources.

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The findings are reported as the FEATURE NUGGET in DRUG AND ALCOHOL FINDINGS magazine
issue 14 (Winter 2005) shortly available from the National Addiction Centre, phone
+44(0)207 848 0437 or e-mail [log in to unmask] The FEATURE
NUGGET is also available for free download from www.drugandalcoholfindings.org.uk.