Should You Split Tablets to Save Money on Prescriptions?
Some people split tablets in half to save money on prescriptions. Is this a safe practice?
It can be a financial strain for some people to pay for their much needed prescription medications. Some, in desperation, are resorting to creative ways to get more out of their prescription dollar by splitting tablets. They’re asking their doctor for a higher strength prescription and then splitting the tablets in half to get the prescribed dose. This works because some prescription medications don’t vary in cost based on strength. While this does save money, is it safe to split tablets?
The Problem of Uniformity
The issue of whether it’s safe to split tablets is controversial. One reason this practice can be unsafe is that some tablets don’t have uniform distribution of the medication. A study published on Medscape looked at eleven different tablets that are commonly split by patients and found that eight out of eleven of them didn’t contain uniform amounts of medication. This means a person splitting a tablet would be getting a different quantity of medication with each dose. While this may not be a problem for some medications, with others where the dose needs to be closely regulated and there’s a high risk of toxicity, there could be significant risk.
They Can Be Hard to Break Evenly
The other problem with split tablets is that some tablets don’t break uniformly even when scored. Thus, it can be hard to get an even break which can further alter the dosage. In addition, some tablets can be very difficult to break, especially for seniors. Others are fragile and can break into small pieces.
Does Splitting Tablets Jeopardize Health?
Despite these problems, a recent analysis published in The Medical Letter looked at the effect of tablet splitting on patient outcomes with several different types of medications including cholesterol lowering medication and blood pressure medication. No differences in cholesterol levels or blood pressures were noted in patients who split tablets.
Should You Split Tablets to Save Money?
Splitting tablets is a practice that should be avoided if at all possible. For medications where dosage isn’t as critical and the risk of toxicity isn’t high, it may not have harmful effects, but should never be done with heart medications, seizure medications, diabetes medications, and other drugs taken for serious conditions. The Medical Health Letter also recommends that extended release tablets that don’t have a score line and tablets that are enteric coated shouldn’t be split. Medications that are combinations of more than one drug and short acting drugs should also not be split
The Bottom Line
Don’t split tablets to save money if at all possible. There are other ways to save on medication costs including buying discount prescriptions online and getting samples from your doctor. Don’t take chances with your health just to save money.
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