Alcohol in a sticky gel — a sensation of greater viscosity when applying the product to the skin — may indicate changes in the formulation made by the manufacturer, when producing the product.Indicated to quickly and effectively inactivate disease-causing microorganisms, the demand for the item remains high due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a disease caused by the new coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2).The greater demand and, consequently, the abrupt increase in the production of alcohol in gel resulted in the rapid depletion of one component, used in the preparation of the formula: carbomer 980 (carbopol), a polymer that acts as a thickening agent and is responsible for the gelatinous appearance conferred to the product.The use of cabopol in the preparation of alcohol in gel is indicated in the 2nd edition of the National Form of the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia — the country's official pharmaceutical code.Lacking the most suitable component, another thickening agent is used by manufacturers.Replacing Carbomer 980 can change the sensory appearance of the product.That is, generate the sensation of a sticky alcohol gel.It is worth noting that in a context of sanitary crisis, the priority is to maintain the efficiency of the antiseptic action of the merchandise.To help with demand, the World Health Organization (WHO) has created a guide [ hwo.int/guide ] aimed at authorized manufacturing companies, which offers formulations of alcohol-based gels for hygienic hand antisepsis.That is, alternative formulas to inactivate disease-causing microorganisms that can be used when more suitable commercial products are not available.Based on this document, Anvisa created its own manual [ gov.br/anvisa ] following the WHO production guidelines.Among the formulations included in the Anvisa guide, there is 75% glycerin isopropyl alcohol and 80% glycerin ethyl alcohol.It is worth mentioning that the regulatory agency has exceptionally allowed, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, drug, cosmetic, sanitizing and regularized master pharmacies companies to produce alcohol-based antiseptics without its prior authorization.Therefore, the viscosity of the alcoholic gel can vary according to the manufacturer.With information from: World Health Organization, Anvisa, Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, CNN, ICTQ and Brasil EscolaWhy does alcohol gel get sticky?