How effective is baclofen in treating craving/alcoholism?

[fluidistic]

I've read a bit about baclofen and how a doctor (who died of heart attack 1 or 2 days ago) cured himself of craving and alcoholism thanks to baclofen.
I also know there have been a few studies on it but I don't really know how well it can cure alcoholism. Does it work for most alcoholics for example? How many percents, approximately?

 

[Evo]

Perhaps this is what you are looking for.

Results: While all patients were rated “at high risk” at baseline, approximately half of them were rated “at low risk” at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. The sum of patients who were at “low risk” and at “moderate risk” (improved patients) was 84% at 3 months, 70% at 6 months, 63% at 1 year, and 62% at 2 years. The constancy of improvement over the 2-years was remarkable.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3540966/

I don't know that it cures alcoholism, but apparently it helps as long as the person is on the medication.

 

[fluidistic]

Yes thank you Evo, that's what I was looking for. Meanwhile I found two ongoing studies: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01604330 and http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01738282.

 

[tiny-tim]

here's a cautionary story from yesterday's london evening standard about someone who self-medicated with internet baclofen, and committed suicide while trying to withdraw from it