European Report Urges Tougher Alcohol Rules

A new report from the EASL-Lancet Commission is urging European governments to move quickly on alcohol policy, warning that liver disease is rising across the region and that current prevention efforts are not keeping pace with the scale of the problem.

The commission said on April 30 that cirrhosis and liver cancer now cause about 284,000 deaths a year in Europe, or nearly 780 deaths a day, and that liver cancer mortality has climbed by more than 50% since 2000. The report, titled “From Evidence to Impact: Implementing Sustainable Liver Health in Europe,” argues that alcohol, obesity and viral hepatitis remain the main drivers of liver-related deaths and that stronger regulation is needed to reduce harm.

For the beer industry, the recommendations could have direct consequences. The commission called for health warning labels on alcohol products, tighter limits on digital marketing aimed at young people, and stronger taxation and regulation of alcohol and ultra-processed food marketing. It also urged governments to treat liver health as part of broader noncommunicable disease policy, alongside heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The report comes as European policymakers face growing pressure to address alcohol-related harm without waiting for voluntary industry measures. The commission said commercial factors such as pricing, availability and marketing continue to shape drinking patterns, especially among younger consumers. It argued that reducing those risks could cut the burden of liver disease sharply while also lowering rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Europe, said the data should serve as a wake-up call. He said cirrhosis and liver cancer account for around 3% of all deaths in the WHO European Region and that action on alcohol, unhealthy diets and viral hepatitis needs to be part of any serious response to noncommunicable diseases.

The economic case was also central to the report. It estimated that if liver disease did not exist, the combined economies of European Union countries and associated states would be about €55 billion larger each year. The commission said liver disease reduces gross domestic product by about 0.3% across the region through lost productivity, premature death and time away from work.

The report said metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, is also increasing as obesity rates rise and diets remain poor. It described liver disease as one of the few major noncommunicable diseases still growing in Europe even as progress has been made against other conditions.

Tom H. Karlsen, a co-chair of the commission, said Europe already has the knowledge and tools to prevent much of the burden but lacks consistent implementation across countries. He said there is now a window to align health policies across the region.

The commission also called for expanded hepatitis testing and care for migrants and underserved populations, better integrated care between primary care doctors and specialists, improved access to affordable medicines through joint procurement among European Union member states, and stronger monitoring systems so governments can track progress.

For patients, the report said too many cases are still diagnosed late, when treatment options are limited. Marko Korenjak, president of the European Liver Patients Association, said earlier detection and integrated care reflect what patients have been asking for and urged policymakers to act.

Debbie Shawcross, secretary general of EASL, said liver disease is no longer a silent condition but a growing public health failure. She said what is missing is not evidence but action.