Top ten research priorities for alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related liver disease: Results of a multistakeholder research priority setting partnership

Abstract

Alcohol is a preventable leading cause of liver disease and over 200 other acute or chronic medical conditions. In the UK, 25% of the population drinks at an increasing risk level (ie, 15–34 units per week for women and 15–49 units per week for men) and 10% at a higher risk level (≥35 units per week for women and ≥50 units per week for men). The UK has observed a 400% rise in mortality due to liver disease in the last three decades; it is now the third most common cause of premature death. In 2020, the UK recorded 8974 deaths from an alcohol-specific cause, an 18·6% increase compared with 2019. The 2020 death rate due to wholly alcohol-attributable conditions reached 14·0 deaths per 100 000, the highest since 2001. In the same year, Dame Carol Black's independent review of drugs, treatment, and recovery, emphasised the need for an increased focus on prevention. Alcohol-related disorders are among the most common reasons for admission to hospital; in 2019–20, 5·7% of all hospital admissions in England were alcohol related. The estimated cost to the UK National Health Service (NHS) to treat alcohol-related problems is over £3·5 billion annually, with an estimated overall cost to society of £21 billion per year.