The World Health Organization announced the launch of an AI‑enabled hub for health professionals designed to identify alcohol‑related risks and guide patient discussions, including the link between drinking and cancer.

WHO Europe regional adviser on alcohol, Dr Carina Ferreira‑Borges, emphasized that alcohol harm is concrete, contributing to heart disease, liver disease, fetal alcohol exposure, mental health issues and cancers such as breast cancer.

The launch highlighted a widespread lack of awareness, noting that only 15 percent of respondents in 14 EU countries recognised alcohol as a cause of breast cancer, despite WHO evidence linking alcohol to at least seven cancer types and cardiovascular and liver disease.

Ferreira‑Borges explained that clinicians often feel uneasy asking about alcohol because it is socially embedded, and that time pressures, limited training and fear of sounding judgmental hinder routine screening.

The AI hub provides evidence‑based guidance, allowing a doctor or nurse with a few minutes between patients to query the assistant on how to approach alcohol‑related questions, making the conversation a normal part of care rather than an awkward extra.

Health workers can start with a ten‑question screening test to assess a patient’s alcohol risk, then use the hub’s AI assistant to prepare conversation points or locate relevant guidance.

WHO noted that alcohol is among the least frequently discussed behavioural risk factors in healthcare, even less often than smoking, physical activity or diet, creating missed prevention opportunities.

While many clinicians are trained to recognise symptoms of heavy drinking, they often lack tools to communicate risks associated with routine consumption, such as its role in hypertension or mental health conditions.