The Department of Veterans Affairs has opened enrollment in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial testing whether semaglutide, the GLP-1 medication sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, can reduce drinking in veterans with alcohol use disorder. Recruitment began on July 28, and the VA announced the study two days later.
The design is the news. Nearly everything the public has heard about GLP-1 drugs and alcohol has come from observational data, health-record analyses and patient anecdotes, none of which can establish whether the medication itself is responsible for reduced drinking. This trial randomizes participants and gives half of them a placebo.
