A major study conducted in London did not find clinically important reductions in drinking among excessive drinkers offered a brief intervention while attending sexual health clinics, nor did brief intervention seem a cost-effective use of health service resources.

Key points from summary and commentary
• Conducted in London, the featured study examined the (cost-)effectiveness of a brief intervention for people attending sexual health clinics identified by a screening test as drinking excessively.
• The trial did not find clinically important reductions in drinking, nor did brief intervention seem a cost-effective use of health service resources.
• This major trial bolsters the impression that real-world brief interventions are not effective enough to justify widespread implementation, but their potential may yet be realised, and/or targeting screening to new patients and people who seem at risk may be more cost-effective