Oval tablets 'easier to swallow', says study

A new study that tested the 'swallowability' of different forms of tablets and capsules showed that patients can more easily take film-coated oval shaped tablets than any other commonly manufactured solid dosage forms.

The 48-patient, open-label, randomised, four-way crossover study was commissioned by Colorcon, a provider of technology and consulting services to pharmaceutical companies. Conducted by Glasgow-based Bio-Images Research, the study compared the swallowability of uncoated tablets and caplets, and soft and hard gelatin capsules, to film-coated dosages. Researchers used sophisticated nuclear medicine cameras to study medication passage from the mouth to the lower GI tract, and found that oval film-coated tablets demonstrated the fewest instances of slow transit in the esophagus (greater than 15 seconds), fewer incidences of lodging in the esophagus, and the least likelihood of causing swallowing problems.

'The study has important implications for both pharmaceutical manufacturers and patients, especially those who have swallowing difficulty,' said Frederick Kettinger, general manager of Colorcon's new brand enhancement system for tablets (BEST) service that helps pharmaceutical companies make their products more patient-friendly and resistant to medication errors.

Forty percent of people report problems swallowing pills, according to a Harris Interactive Survey. Most describe the sensations as having 'a pill stuck in their throat' (80%), having a 'bad after taste in their mouth' (48%), or gagging (32%). Senior citizens, in particular, have difficulty swallowing pills.