News & Media

Professor John Holmes, Director of the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG), will deliver the prestigious Max Glatt Memorial Lecture at the Medical Council on Alcohol's (MCA) Annual Symposium on Wednesday 18 November 2026.

In his lecture, 'From minimum unit pricing to the future of alcohol policy', John will explore how political shifts and scientific evidence shape public health decisions – moving beyond landmark measures like MUP to look at where the field is heading next.

MUP and the political realities of policy change

Minimum unit pricing is often highlighted as a prime example of evidence-based policy, with compelling findings from the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model and Canadian evaluation studies playing a central role in its adoption by governments. This was then followed by an extensive evaluation programme. 

However, John will highlight that politics and social changes shape policy just as much as science. Factors like the political landscape in Scotland, the limits of devolved powers, and the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic have all played huge roles in the introduction of MUP and how its effects played out in practice.

Turning to the current political climate, he will assess what we can expect from Westminster. While ministers omitted big alcohol policy reforms from the recent 10-Year Health Plan, John will argue that this doesn't mean policy has ground to a halt. Instead of relying on big, crisis-driven reforms, we may be entering an era of smaller, steady improvements – such as ongoing changes to alcohol taxes, health warnings, and drink-driving rules – as our understanding of alcohol's health impacts gradually feeds into public policy.

Honouring a pioneer in addiction medicine

The Max Glatt Memorial Lecture is a standout moment in the MCA calendar and one of the highest honours in UK addiction medicine. The MCA Executive Committee selects speakers in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the alcohol and health field, awarding them the Max Glatt Medal.

The lecture is named after Dr Max Meier Glatt (1912–2002), a pioneer who transformed how we view addiction in the UK by establishing alcoholism as a treatable medical condition rather than a moral failure. Over a remarkable career, Dr Glatt set up one of the UK's first dedicated NHS alcohol treatment units, edited the British Journal of Addiction (the journal now known as Addiction) for 15 years, served as Vice President of the MCA, and created the famous Glatt Chart to map recovery from dependency.

About the MCA Symposium

Held at the Royal College of Physicians in London, the MCA Annual Symposium brings together doctors, researchers and public health experts to discuss the latest science and policy in alcohol harm reduction.

To find out more or view the full programme, visit the Medical Council on Alcohol website.