Splitting pills is a ordinary practice for most, whether it be to save some money or just to help with swallowing pills. In fact a 2006 study found that 25% of pills are split. However, what most people do not know is that there are certain pills that cannot be split. This article will go over how to identify these pills and the  why you shouldn’t spilt them. 

Spills That Are Safe to Split in Half: 

Splitting pills can be done in certain situations. One of these circumstances is when it is FDA approved. If a tablet has a score down the middle, then it is most likely okay to be split. To confirm check the “How Supplied” section in the package insert for FDA approval. If there is no confirmation, then the FDA has not evaluated this drug to make sure it can be safely split. If this happens, ask your healthcare provider for advice. If you are given the okay do not split multiple pills and store them for later use. This is because factors such as heat, humidity, and moisture can negatively impact a broken pill. Furthermore, if you are using the same medication but switch brand, you should ask your healthcare provider again if it is okay to be split as medications can be manufactured differently in a way that is not designed for the drug to be split. 

Medications You Should Never Split: 

If you are unsure about spillting a pill, you should not do it without asking your healthcare provider. However, there are some drugs that are most likely not allowed to be cut. For starters if there is no score on the medicine, it can be strongly inferred to not split the medication. Furthermore, extended release medications should not be split To identify extended release pill, look for “ER” or “XR” after the medictions name. If you are struggling to identify a medication, try consulting a pill identifier app. Extended release pills extends the medications effects and levels in your body generally over 12-24 hours, so splitting it can tamper with this. Furthermore, pills with a erentic coating should be split. Pills that have a enteric coating are typically marked with “EN” or “EC” at the end of the medications name. An erentric coating is designed to allow for the release of the drug in the small intestine which has a more alkaline pH compared to the rest of the stomach. Splitting it, could damage this coating and risks the drug being released to early, irratting the stomach lining, or being desstoryed. Liquid filled or bead capsules should not be split, as it is very messy and there is no way to ensure a proper dosage. The same can be said for asymmmterically shaped pills and drugs packaged for specific doeses. 

How to Properly Split a Pill: 

If you are given the okay by a doctor or you have successfully identified the FDA approval for the drug being split, please follow a safe method, like described in this article, to split the pills. It is more efficient to buy a pill cutter. They do not cost that much and range from $3-$10. Make sure you only split one pill at a time. If your pill cutter has a retractable blade, make sure you press down quickly to ensure the pill does not crumble.