Naltrexone and Nalmefene: Any Meaningful Difference?

Abstract

In this issue of Biological Psychiatry, Mann and colleagues (1) report the results of a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of the opioid antagonist nalmefene in the treatment of 598 alcohol-dependent participants drinking at a moderate or greater alcohol risk level according to the World Health Organization criteria for alcohol risk. The study used a somewhat different design in that the medication (20mg nalmefene or placebo) was taken in a targeted or “as-needed fashion,” that is, on days when participants perceived that they were at high risk for drinking.