Government’s new strategic vision for men’s health is short-sighted about alcohol harm, says expert

The Government’s new report ‘Men’s health: a strategic vision for England’ has been criticised by a leading specialist in medically supervised alcohol reduction. Sinclair Method UK says the report is heavy on stats about men’s alcohol misuse but light on solutions.

The Government’s new report ‘Men’s health: a strategic vision for England’ has been welcomed by Sinclair Method UK Ltd, a leading specialist in alcohol reduction. However, the organisation says that, while the leading causes of alcohol misuse are examined in the report, there is little in the way of positive action to prevent such abuse.

Sinclair Method UK Ltd says it is forced to agree with the conclusion of the Institute for Alcohol Studies (IAS) that the Government’s new vision contains almost none of the proven population-level measures needed to bring deaths down.

Harvey Bhandal is the Managing Director of Sinclair Method UK, specialists in medically supervised alcohol reduction. He says: ‘The new report does a good job in outlining the scale of the problem of alcohol misuse. For example, it highlights the fact that men are much more likely to have drug and alcohol problems and to die from drug or alcohol-related causes. In 2023, the mortality rate due to alcohol was 3.6 times higher among men living in the 20% most-deprived areas compared to the least-deprived.

‘We also agree with the report’s findings that societal norms promoting competition, risk-taking, invincibility and courage are linked to heavy alcohol consumption. Peer pressure often compels individuals to consume alcohol even when they do not wish to and may leave those who refrain from drinking feeling socially isolated.

‘Building on this, the report says the Government will publish plans to improve join-up between drug and alcohol treatment services and physical and mental health treatment to reduce death rates and improve recovery outcomes. The report also says the Government is providing grants to accelerate the development of innovations to enhance the treatment and recovery of drug and alcohol addictions.

‘However, while these measures are all well and good and, indeed, useful next steps, the truth is that action is needed now. The regrettable fact is that the new report ignores the promotion and more widespread adoption of long-established and proven methods for reducing alcohol consumption. It’s for this reason that we fully agree with the IAS’ conclusion that, aside from a small pilot scheme, the plan contains no commitments on the key evidence-based policies that reduce consumption across a population.

‘For those who find stopping or cutting back difficult, one proven method for reducing alcohol consumption involves taking a prescribed medication supported by online coaching and counselling. Known as The Sinclair Method (TSM), this established treatment boasts an 80% success rate in helping people to overcome problem drinking. Issues such as peer pressure and mental health can be discussed with a medical professional as part of the TSM treatment plan.

‘Patients orally take a non-addictive prescription opioid called naltrexone one hour before drinking, which reduces alcohol’s rewarding effects. This timing helps retrain the brain’s reward system through a process called “pharmacological extinction”.

‘Sinclair Method UK Ltd offers personalised treatment that includes one-to-one support from a private GP. Each patient is assigned a dedicated coach for 3 to 6 months to guide them through the medication programme. Consultations are conducted via phone or video call and prescriptions are provided for the appropriate medication. All services and conversations are completely private and strictly confidential.

‘It’s disappointing that such proven and well-established treatments are effectively ignored in the new report. This is despite the fact that it has been successfully used in the UK for over ten years. Sinclair Method UK’s founders worked closely with Dr. Roy Eskapa, long-time friend and colleague of Dr. David Sinclair, whose pioneering research gave birth to this life-saving treatment. Dr. Eskapa personally trained and advised Sinclair Method UK’s team. These strong links are why it is the only organisation entitled to use The Sinclair Method brand and trademark in the UK. For full details of Sinclair Method UK Ltd’s treatments: see: https://www.sinclairmethoduk.com/