Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

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Monday, April 2, 2012

Government announce review of drinking guidelines


The Government will review the current drinking guidelines for the first time in 15 years, the Department of Health announced. The Government's response follows the recent House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee (STC) report, which declared the existing guidelines as "confusing" and called for further clarity.

Daily guidelines were advocated following 1995 research which suggested that moderate consumption could lower "bad" cholesterol and have a protective effect on coronary heart disease. The message remains contentious though, as this Science Daily post outlines.

Although daily guidelines might prevent people from assuming they could 'save their units up', critics highlighted that they "appeared to endorse daily drinking" and so increased possible interpretation of the advised amount by as much as 50%. Professor Ian Gilmore, from the Royal College of Physicians, stated that daily or near daily drinking can increase the risk of liver disease. > > > > Read More