Public health policies to prevent alcohol-related liver disease

Abstract

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of morbidity and premature mortality around the world, with a substantial cost to individuals and to health-care systems. The incidence of ALD is closely associated with alcohol intake, and it is a preventable disease. There is clear evidence that public health measures to reduce alcohol consumption are effective, which in turn can have a positive effect on ALD. Effective policy includes controlling the price of alcohol, limiting or banning alcohol advertising and restricting the availability of alcohol. The strength of public health policy depends on the political willingness to develop robust strategies. However, effective lobbying of policy-makers by the alcohol industry and lack of political will are barriers to the implementation of these measures, resulting in suboptimal national alcohol control policies. Clinicians are well-placed to campaign for effective public health policy regarding alcohol to reduce the prevalence of ALD for the benefit of patients, their families and wider society. In this Perspective, we summarize the evidence for public health policies that affect alcohol consumption and the prevalence of ALD.