“Hangover patch” removed from sale

Firebox started selling the hangover patch last month, but has been told to remove it form its website.

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ruled that the patch comes under its “Borderline” category. This is because the patch uses the term “Hangover” which relates to a medical condition.

The Bytox Hangover Prevention Patch was invented by plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Leonard Grossman and was launched in the US last year.

A spokesperson from the MHRA said: “The MHRA have issued an urgent notice to Firebox.com asking them to remove the hangover patch Bytox from sale. They have now removed the product from their website.

“We consider this to be a medicine due to the claims being made for it in the relation to the prevention of hangovers and consider it to be an unlicensed medicinal product.”

It is claimed that the patch is second only to an “intravenous stuck in your arm”. According to the packaging the patch works by replacing vitamins and acids that are lost through drinking alcohol.

Dr Grossman has claimed that the ingredients – B vitamins, acai berry, vitamins A, D, E and K and folic acid – are delivered continuously to the bloodstream, but the patch has not received any official medical backing in the US or here.

So it looks like a return to traditional hangover cures for the forthcoming festive party season.