Nalmefene blocks the brain signals that derive pleasure from alcohol, stopping people from wanting more than one drink and helping problem boozers to head home early.
It is likely to be recommended to men who drink more than seven-and-a-half units per day and women who consume more than five units – about half a bottle of wine.
The drug intends to reduce alcohol intake rather than stopping drinkers entirely, so it will not be available to patients with severe alcohol addictions.
Instead, people visiting their GPs will be quizzed on their drinking habits and the daily pill could be prescribed alongside counselling sessions.
At £3 per pill, the drug could be available to 600,000 patients on the NHS and it is already doing the rounds in Scotland.
Although trials were largely successful, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reported side effects including dizziness and nausea. Not unlike a hangover, then.
