The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is launching a nationwide clinical trial to determine whether a class of medications best known for treating diabetes and obesity can also help veterans struggling with alcohol addiction, the agency announced Thursday.

The VA said it will enroll more than 600 veterans in the study, which will evaluate semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist widely used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Researchers are investigating whether the medication, sold under brand names including Ozempic and Wegovy for its approved uses, may also reduce alcohol consumption by affecting the brain’s reward system, the same neural circuitry believed to play a central role in the drug’s appetite-suppressing effects.

Participants in the study, ages 18 to 80, will need to have moderate or severe alcohol use disorder to qualify for enrollment. Those selected will receive weekly injections of either semaglutide or a placebo over a 24-week treatment period, followed by a subsequent safety follow-up phase. Throughout the trial, researchers will track changes in participants’ drinking habits, overall physical health and quality of life to assess whether the medication could eventually become a viable new treatment option for alcohol use disorder.

The study, formally titled the Cessation or Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Veterans trial, will be conducted at 18 VA medical centers across the country, including facilities in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Palo Alto, California.

GLP-1 medications were originally developed and approved specifically to treat Type 2 diabetes, but have since become widely known to the public primarily for their effectiveness in promoting weight loss. Researchers have continued studying the broader class of drugs for potential benefits extending well beyond their original indications, including possible effects on heart health, chronic inflammation and other conditions unrelated to blood sugar control or body weight.

The scale of alcohol use disorder within the veteran population has driven the VA’s interest in exploring new treatment approaches. According to the agency, more than 400,000 veterans nationwide have received a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder. An analysis published earlier this year found that patients taking GLP-1 medications experienced lower rates of both alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders compared with similar patients taking different diabetes medications, a finding that prompted researchers to investigate the drugs’ potential more directly through a controlled clinical trial.

VA Secretary Doug Collins framed the trial as an example of the kind of research the department is uniquely positioned to carry out given its direct focus on veteran health outcomes. “This clinical trial reflects medical research that VA is uniquely situated to launch, and is aimed directly at benefitting Veterans,” Collins said in a statement. “By exploring emerging treatment options like the use of a GLP-1 for AUD, we aim to expand the tools available to help Veterans take control of their health and recovery.”

Recruitment for the study began this week, according to VA officials. The department emphasized that veterans should not attempt to self-medicate with GLP-1 medications or discontinue proven, existing alcohol use disorder treatments without first consulting their health care providers, given that the trial remains an experimental research study rather than an approved treatment protocol.

Alcohol use disorder remains one of the most common and challenging conditions facing the veteran population, often occurring alongside other service-related health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and other mental health conditions. Existing treatment options for the condition include several FDA-approved medications, along with a range of behavioral therapies and support programs, though researchers and clinicians have continued searching for additional treatment approaches given that no single existing option works effectively for every patient.

The scientific interest in GLP-1 medications for addiction treatment extends beyond alcohol use disorder specifically. Researchers studying the broader class of drugs have also examined their potential effects on other substance use disorders, building on observational data suggesting the medications may influence the same underlying neural reward pathways implicated in various forms of addictive behavior, not solely those related to food intake and appetite regulation.

The VA’s trial adds to a growing body of ongoing research into GLP-1 medications’ effects well beyond their original diabetes and weight-loss indications, as the drugs have continued attracting significant scientific and public interest since their initial approval and rapid rise in popularity in recent years.

Given that this trial involves veterans managing alcohol use disorder, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, anyone personally struggling with alcohol use or addiction is encouraged to speak directly with a healthcare provider about existing treatment options rather than waiting for or relying on the results of this ongoing research study, and veterans specifically can contact their local VA medical center for information about current treatment resources and potential eligibility for enrollment in the trial as recruitment continues.