Can a fake bar help an alcoholic quit drinking? That’s what the researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) believe is possible. NIH researchers have set up a fully stocked lab-bar to test the efficacy of an experimental Pfizer drug that would inhibit a person’s desire to drink even in the most tempting environments, a bar. "The goal is to create almost a real-world environment, but to control it very strictly," said lead researcher Dr. Lorenzo Leggio.

The research results are due out this spring. If successful, the experiment could potentially help millions of people struggling with alcoholism.

Dr. George Koob and Dr. Lorenzo Leggio inside the NIH Research Laboratory "Bar"