Semaglutide's weight-loss case strengthens as a real-world eye-safety signal draws scrutiny
Read the Sunday Brief →

Study wrapper · #1090

Oral Semaglutide for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Schacht JP, Sakai JT, Raymond K, et al. The American journal of psychiatry. 2026.

Editor's note

This is a genuine randomized controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder, giving it real evidentiary weight for our readers. The primary craving endpoint was not met, though several secondary drinking measures improved, so the result is mixed and the small sample of 50 limits certainty. Regard it as a promising but preliminary signal supporting larger confirmatory trials.

Plain-language abstract

In this phase 2 randomized trial of 50 adults with alcohol use disorder, oral semaglutide did not significantly reduce the primary outcome of lab-measured alcohol craving, but it did reduce heavy drinking days, drinks per drinking day, and naturalistic craving. The authors conclude that further development for alcohol use disorder is warranted.