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December 17, 2002
A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK IN
RI
Here I wasn't able to ask a question that the web could actually
answer, but I learned a little about this from a summer job
I had in college, working for a drug company (in the research
department, but they gave a short orientation that included
how pills are made.) So what I'm about to say is not backed
up by any recent information... but here goes. Making a dose
of a drug stick together in a solid pill is an art. the drug
itself may be needed in a tiny amount, so most of the pill
must be made of some inactive ingredient; or the powdered
drug just may not stick together well. The pill (or a capsule)
has to dissolve after you swallow it. It needs to _look_ distinctive
so you won't take the wrong one by mistake.
This site is alarmist about "inactive ingredients"
in pills being allergenic http://www.angelfire.com/mi/FAST/medication.html
and I don't mean to alarm you - but those inactive ingredients
are necessary to stick the active stuff together into a pill
you can carry around but that will dissolve after you swallow
it; that needs to be palatable if you chew it; that won't
interfere with the active ingredients - etc.
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