Posted by ed_uk2010 on January 18, 2015, at 15:52:58
In reply to Re: Splitting pills. Reliable or not? (@Ed and others) » ed_uk2010, posted by europerep on January 18, 2015, at 15:17:32
>Yes indeed, it's the NRIM. It's really good to hear that these are not coated, so I don't have to worry about this any longer.
Glad to know my calculations were correct haha. And Yes, the drug should be evenly distributed. It's a simple tablet formulation.
>I just meant that I could imagine that there is a variation that, as far as technology is concerned, could easily be reduced, but that this would only make production more expensive without making a real difference for the patient.
True. It isn't going to make any difference whether the nortriptyline tablets contain 10mg, 9.8mg or 10.1mg etc. The amount your body absorbs isn't exactly the same every time you take a dose anyway.
The drug content of any tablet where the dose is measured in milligrams isn't too hard to keep constant. This is because thorough mixing makes the drug content of the power almost uniform before compression to form the tablets. Drugs dosed in micrograms or nanograms may require more advanced technology to ensure tabs/caps contain an accurate dose. This is because the amount of drug relative to the amount of other ingredients is very small.
>Why don't they test the batch beforehand and only distribute it if the tests come out ok?
They do test all batches before distribution. Each batch is 'released' by a QP 'qualified person' before sale to wholesalers. In some cases, a problem identified later, perhaps as a result of a complaint, will lead to further testing of a different (retained) sample from the same batch. On occasion, this identifies a small deviation from permitted criteria.
>Will the fact that I cut the tablet change anything about how quickly the active ingredient is released?No, I doubt it will make any difference at all.
Any changes in the amount of drug taken (and absorbed) is only likely to be the result of inaccurate measurement of the amount you've broken off!
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:1075154
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20150102/msgs/1075242.html