Lab Chat: Inactive ingredients make up majority of commonly prescribed pills
(DIANA SAVILLE)
A new study finds that commonly prescribed pills in the U.S. are mostly made up of “inactive” ingredients — substances such as lactose or gluten that are not the main therapeutic component and that can sometimes trigger allergies and intolerances. Here’s what study author Dr. Giovanni Traverso, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and MIT, told me about the research, published in Science Translational Medicine.
Why do these inactive ingredients exist in pills?
Inactive ingredients are an essential part of the medication as they provide stability to the drug. They can also provide the appearance, or shelf-life stabilization, and sometimes they help absorb with the absorption of the drug.
What did you find in the study?
We found that 75 percent of tablets are taken up by inactive ingredients. ... We found in the literature that 38 or so of these ingredients have been associated with very specific allergic reactions. And of all the pills and tablets out there, [over] 90 percent have at least one of those ingredients. But I think the thing to emphasize is that these allergic reactions are rare.
Why do these inactive ingredients exist in pills?
Inactive ingredients are an essential part of the medication as they provide stability to the drug. They can also provide the appearance, or shelf-life stabilization, and sometimes they help absorb with the absorption of the drug.
What did you find in the study?
We found that 75 percent of tablets are taken up by inactive ingredients. ... We found in the literature that 38 or so of these ingredients have been associated with very specific allergic reactions. And of all the pills and tablets out there, [over] 90 percent have at least one of those ingredients. But I think the thing to emphasize is that these allergic reactions are rare.
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