Event highlights
At the European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) Congress 2025 in Vienna, WHO/Europe and the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) brought the issue of alcohol-related emergencies to the forefront of Europe’s largest gathering of emergency department (ED) physicians. The session “From cases to change: how ED doctors can shape alcohol prevention in Europe” underscored the pivotal role that emergency medicine specialists play in making alcohol harms visible and translating clinical experience into policy action.
During the session, WHO/Europe presented evidence showing that alcohol contributes to 1 in 3 injury deaths in the WHO European Region and remains the leading cause of premature death and disability among young people. Building on this, WHO/Europe launched a call for interest to 3–5 emergency departments across Europe to join a pilot study on alcohol-related presentations among adolescents and young adults. The initiative aims to transform emergency department data into actionable insights to strengthen prevention, improve care pathways and inform public health policy.
As part of the EUSEM 2025 Congress, WHO/Europe organized a hands-on workshop, “Helping Your Patient to Drink Less Alcohol – Essential Skills to Conduct Alcohol Screening and Brief Interventions (SBI)”. The session strengthened emergency-care professionals’ capacity to identify and address alcohol-related risks through the use of evidence-based tools, such as the WHO Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and practical exercises on patient-centred brief interventions.
The training also highlighted the untapped potential of systematic alcohol SBI in emergency medicine – where every patient encounter represents a critical opportunity for early identification and prevention. Integrating SBI into routine emergency department workflows, particularly at discharge, can help prevent recurrent injuries, reduce repeat visits and improve long-term patient outcomes. The workshop contributed to the efforts of the WHO/European Union Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-ACTION) to scale up SBI implementation across health-care systems in the Region, demonstrating how frontline clinicians can translate brief interventions into lasting public health impact.
Throughout the congress, WHO/Europe engaged directly with clinicians at its interactive booth, gathering anecdotal first-hand insights from emergency physicians across Europe. When asked about alcohol’s role in their daily work, all respondents estimated that alcohol was involved in a significant number of emergency department cases, a striking reminder of the magnitude of the challenge faced by frontline professionals.
By joining forces with EUSEM and the EHAA, WHO/Europe helped bring greater attention to alcohol-related harm within the emergency medicine community. The discussions reinforced that reducing alcohol-related injuries is not only a health priority but also an economic imperative – relieving pressure on emergency departments, saving lives, and contributing to stronger, more resilient health systems across the Region.
Event notice
Alcohol is a major contributor to road injuries, drownings, self-harm and interpersonal violence across the WHO European Region, putting frontline clinicians and emergency medicine specialists at the centre of the response to alcohol-related harm. This year, WHO/Europe and the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) will bring this issue to the fore at the EUSEM [European Society for Medicine] Congress, Europe’s largest gathering of emergency physicians.
With more than 4000 participants expected, WHO/Europe and EHAA will highlight the urgent need to address alcohol harm in emergency settings. Activities will include a high-level podium session on youth alcohol-related emergencies, a hands-on training workshop on Screening and Brief Interventions (SBI) and an interactive booth to connect clinicians with WHO tools and prevention initiatives.
Launched in May 2025 at the EASL [European Association for the Study of the Liver] Congress in Amsterdam, part of the WHO/EU Evidence into Action Alcohol project (EVID-Action), the EHAA unites leading European organizations of health professionals to amplify the medical community’s voice in alcohol policy-making. Its mission is to reduce alcohol-related illnesses, injuries and deaths; raise public awareness; and advocate for the implementation of proven, effective policies. A core priority of the EHAA is protecting children and young people, who remain particularly vulnerable to alcohol’s harms.
Through their presence at EUSEM, WHO/Europe and the EHAA will spotlight the issue of youth alcohol intoxication and the pivotal role emergency physicians play, not only in treating acute cases but also in preventing future harms. The session will promote a wider uptake of SBI in emergency medicine, strengthen the links between clinical practice and public health policy and build a shared voice across disciplines. By joining forces with Europe’s emergency medicine community, this collaboration aims to accelerate effective action to reduce alcohol harm and ultimately save lives