NEW TREATMENT FOR ALCOHOLISM
By Adnews Staff
"For the first time in 30 years, the Canadian medical community now has a new pharmaceutical tool available to treat alcoholism that significantly increases abstinence rates, reduces relapse and appears in the clinical studies to reduce craving for alcohol when used in conjunction with counseling." So says Dr. Graeme Cunningham, director of Homewood Addiction Services in Guelph, Ont., in a release announcing that the drug Revia is being promoted in Canada as a treatment for alcoholism. Late last month the Health Protection Branch of Health Canada approved the drug for such a use. Marketed in Canada by DuPont Pharma of Mississauga, Ont., Revia is combined with counselling to wean problem drinkers off alcohol. It was OK'd last March for the treatment of drug addiction in Canada and has been used by alcoholics in the U.S. for the past year. Toronto ad agency Medicus will be educating Canadian doctors about Revia. Medicus will begin distributing educational materials to doctors across Canada in March. Communications Strategies Inc. of Toronto is handling public relations. About 16.7 million Canadians over the age of 15 drink alcohol and about 1.7 million are alcoholics, says Dr. Cunningham.