The diarrhea drug Elotrans is being promoted on social media like Tiktok as a miracle cure for hangovers. The hype goes so far that the drug is no longer available in many places.
Munich (dpa / lby) – Bavarian pharmacies continue to struggle with delivery problems for the diarrhea drug Elotrans – obviously because the drug has become popular as an anti-hangover drug through social media. “It’s completely sold out, you have no chance of getting it,” said Christian Pacher from the Südapotheke in Ingolstadt. He orders from three wholesalers, but the drug is currently not available anywhere. Several pharmacists in Bavaria confirm the observations, and the drug is usually sold out online.
The Bavarian Association of Pharmacists speaks of an increased demand for about one and a half to two months. There could still be delivery bottlenecks, said association spokesman Thomas Metz.
For weeks, the over-the-counter drug from the Hessian pharmaceutical company Stada has been traded on social media as an anti-hangover drug. In the ratings for Elotrans on online shops, there is often talk of taking it before or during the party night. Thomas Metz from the Association of Pharmacists criticized the misappropriation. “It’s simply not allowed for that.” It should be there for those who need it because they are sick. In addition, the drug can also have side effects.
On the drug’s own Instagram account, the manufacturer promised that they were working on expanding production capacities. An improvement is expected in the fall, it said. “The market and the amount could not be foreseen,” said pharmacist Christian Pacher. In general, the pharmacist criticized excessive dependence on Asian active ingredient manufacturers. Accordingly, drug supply chains could not be adjusted quickly enough.
