Can you split a non-scored pill?

[anotnon]

Can a non-scored pill be cut in half cleanly? Why aren't some pills scored? I'm talking about the 1 mg Qualitest Klonopin. Is it because the active ingredient isn't equally distributed and it wasn't made to be split? What if I wanted to take 2.5 or 3.5 or something like that?

 

[BeachBum4u]

No problem. Buy a pill cutter and viola, you're good to go~! I use one almost everyday and they're great! Good Luck!

 

[Libertin]

I snap my co-codamol manually, no problem.

 

[Kittycat5]

Taking half of a tablet is very common directions. They have done studies showing that most people do not come close to actually cutting it in half but for most drugs it makes little difference.

 

[lman_15]

pill cutters your best bet

 

[pharmacybandit]

Obviously you have your answer already, but I do second that unless we're talking Coumadin or Synthroid or the like, generally it is assumed that the average person will split close enough that the difference will be minimal. I will add that generally ER tablets shouldn't be, but since you said it was just Klonopin then that's no worry to you but maybe will help someone else.

 

[T. Calderone]

As long as the pill is aligned correctly in the splitter, you should get close to 2 even halves.
What bugs me are pills that crumble easily and you get unwanted leftover crumbs.

 

[Captain Brewster]

^ same.

I always end up licking the table....

 

[edgewise1]

This is my understanding, and it is what you (op) said.

Scored pills are scored so that they can be broken and an equal amount of the active ingredient is in each half. Unscored pills are not a complete solution and each half of this type pill does not contain an equal amount of the active ingredient. This is what a pharmacist friend told me years ago when I asked the same question.

 

[Kittycat5]

That is not true. The ingredients are uniform throughout regardless of scoring.

 

[Libertin]

^I agree. The batch of powder is homogenized before being pressed into pills, any other method would be uneconomical and dangerous.

 

[edgewise1]

Again, this is what I was told by a pharmacist. This was at least 20-25 years ago that he told me and at the time it sounded reasonable to me and I assumed it to be correct.