Also known as: drug and alcohol addiction
The UK is offering £20 million through Innovate UK to develop medicines, devices and digital tools for drug and alcohol addiction. Awards range up to £10 million for late-stage projects and up to £1.5 million for earlier-stage innovations, with applications closing on 6 May 2026.
New research challenges the theory that ketamine's psychedelic effects drive its therapeutic benefits for alcohol use disorder. A study of 96 participants found no link between ketamine's psychoactive experiences and improved abstinence rates. The findings suggest other mechanisms, such as brain network alterations, may explain ketamine's effectiveness in treating addiction.
The UK government is offering £20 million in grants through Innovate UK to develop cutting-edge medicines, medical technologies and digital tools to tackle drug and alcohol addiction, which causes around 15,000 deaths annually and costs England an estimated £47 billion each year.
