A randomized cross-over study to evaluate the swallow-enhancing and taste-masking properties of a novel coating for oral tablets.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the swallowing-enhancing and taste-masking effects of MedCoat, a new disposable device used to apply a coating to tablets just before oral administration. SETTING: Kaunas Medical University Hospital in Lithuania. METHOD: The study was performed as a randomized cross-over study. In total 41 subjects (20 male and 21 female) were enrolled in the study. Subjects were healthy volunteers who at least sometimes experience difficulties swallowing tablets. Subjects were asked to swallow placebo tablets uncoated and coated with MedCoat in a randomized order, and indicate their preferences. Subjects were also asked to evaluate the taste-masking properties of MedCoat. RESULTS: Of the 41 subjects, 40 (97.6%) found it less difficult to swallow non-flavoured placebo tablets coated with MedCoat compared to identical uncoated tablets. Forty subjects (97.6%) found it less difficult to swallow divided non-flavoured placebo tablets coated with MedCoat compared to identical uncoated divided tablets. All 41 subjects (100.0%) found it less difficult to swallow bitter flavoured placebo tablets coated with MedCoat compared to identical uncoated tablets. All 41 (100.0%) of the subjects stated that MedCoat completely masked the bitter taste of a bitter flavoured tablet. CONCLUSION: The study showed that MedCoat made tablets easier to swallow for people with difficulties swallowing tablets and that it masked the taste of bitter tasting tablets. MedCoat could therefore be a valuable tool to aid the oral taking of tablets for patients who have difficulties swallowing tablets.