So far, the FDA has approved only three drugs for use in treating alcohol use disorders: disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone (Revia pill, Vivitrol injection) and acamprosate (Campral). (See 5 Meds Help Curb Alcohol Abuse .) None of the drugs address all aspects of alcohol abuse or prove effective with all patients. Some are better at reducing the craving for alcohol, while others are more effective for reducing the number of heavy drinking days or lessening the chance that someone who is abstinent will drink again. There is no clear and convincing evidence that the drugs work well in combination therapy. For example, at Hazelden, Dr. Seppala has found that Vivitrol helps only about 30% of those who take it. “These drugs are the first to be based on understanding the neurochemistry of alcoholism, so in a way they’re like the first antibiotics,” he said. “I’m hoping we can eventually get better predictors of who should take them.”