Alcoholism Treatments Under-Used in Australia

Although acamprostate and naltrezone are readily available and inexpensive under government subsidies to help Australians reduce alcohol cravings, only one in 30 alcoholics are prescribed the medication a published study reports.

In 2001 only 13,500 people were treated with the two medications, according to a National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre report. "This is equivalent to a maximum of about 3 per cent of alcohol-dependent individuals taking either drug," wrote Christopher Doran in the Medical Journal of Australia. "Although use of these medications is not necessarily appropriate for all dependent individuals, their low uptake raises serious concerns."

The report said the reason that few alcoholics are prescribed the drugs is because in order to receive the government subsidies, the patients have to be prescribed the medications in connection with a "comprehensive treatment program for alcohol dependence with the goal of maintaining abstinence."

The authors also said the general public may not know the medications are available in Australia and a public awareness campaign may be needed to educate alcoholics about the available treatments.

More: Acamprosate Approval Delayed in U.S. | Medications for Alcoholism