Watchdog Fines Normaflore Distributor for Overblown Claims in Hungary
- 5 Mar 2026 6:52 AM
The watchdog found the company exaggerated unproven health benefits, such as "restoring gut flora balance" and preventing/treating conditions like antibiotic-associated diarrhea, traveler's diarrhea, and IBS symptoms — claims not backed by sufficient scientific evidence under EU and Hungarian regs (e.g., GVH decision VJ/11/2025).
Product Description
Normaflore is a line of oral probiotic supplements from Opella Healthcare (a Sanofi subsidiary), primarily containing Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 yeast, plus some variants with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG bacteria.
Sold as capsules, sachets, or fortified foods in Hungarian pharmacies and stores (e.g., Normaflore Forte 250mg, ~HUF 3,000–5,000 per pack), it's marketed for digestive support during travel, antibiotics, or stress.
Per Hungarian product info (e.g., Sanofi.hu, BENU Gyógyszertár listings), it's positioned as a yeast-based probiotic resistant to stomach acid and antibiotics, but GVH ruled promo materials overstated clinical proof.
Opella touted "SMART spores" contained in its products in the ads, GVH said.
Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.
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