Court acquits drunk driver due to "home brewer syndrome"

A rare medical case causes a stir

In Bruges, Belgium, a curious court case made the headlines: A 40-year-old man who was repeatedly caught driving with high alcohol levels was acquitted by the court. The reason for this unusual verdict is a rare medical condition known as Eigenbrauer syndrome.

What is the home brewer syndrome?

Eigenbrauer syndrome is a rare metabolic disorder in which the microbiome in the intestine is disturbed. This disorder enables yeasts to multiply in the intestine and produce alcohol. In affected individuals, this can lead to high alcohol levels in the blood without alcohol consumption. This unwanted alcoholic fermentation in the body not only leads to alcoholization, but also to the release of potentially liver-damaging substances.

The court's decision

Despite the high blood alcohol levels of 2.1 and 1.6 measured, the court ruled that the man could not be held responsible for his actions as he was suffering from this unusual syndrome. The case attracted international attention and was picked up by various media outlets. Although the public prosecutor's office called for the man to be declared unfit to drive, the court refused to do so. Instead, the man was ordered to combat his condition with medical means to prevent further production of alcohol in his body.

The challenges and consequences

This ruling raises important questions regarding responsibility and road safety. It also highlights the need for accurate medical diagnosis and treatment for rare conditions such as Eigenbrauer syndrome. The man in question has already prescribed himself a low-carbohydrate diet to minimize alcoholic fermentation in his body.

This case shows how complex the interaction between medicine, law and personal responsibility can be. It also offers an important lesson about the rarity and impact of unusual medical conditions that can affect individuals' lives in unexpected ways.