Using naltrexone to cut back on drinking isn’t new, says Sarah Wakeman, a senior medical director for substance use disorder at Mass General Brigham. The approach dates back to the 1980s with the Sinclair method, which pairs drinking with naltrexone to blunt alcohol’s pleasurable effects. In parts of Europe, Wakeman adds, people have long used a “pill-in-the-pocket” strategy, taking the medication only when they anticipate drinking.