Should The Color Coating Come Off A Presctiption Medication

Should the color coating on a medication easily come off the pill, which is new and still in the prescription bottle?

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Hello, Megan! How are you?

It really depends on what the manufacturer has used to create the coating, how thick it is, the storage conditions, and etc. The FDA provides lists of certain acceptable ingredients that a manufacturer can use, which they consider safe. They can choose from among those, but the thickness of the coating may be different, as well as the composition. Then the storage conditions come into play, if you've kept them in a warm, moist area, that could cause it to rub off easier, than if it were under optimal storage conditions that are defined by the FDA as being dry, dark, cool areas.

For example, storing medications in your kitchen or bathroom is actually a bad idea and could cause degradation of any coating that is present, as well as the active ingredients. But you may not experience the same issues, if it were kept on a shelf in your bedroom, that is kept comfortably cool, dry, and is dark much of the time. Given the history of medical professionals in our family, which has taught us this information, I keep my medications on a stand, in my bedroom; as does my husband, while my mother-in-law keeps hers in her bedroom in her chest of drawers.

Of course, the chosen storage location should be adjusted accordingly, if you have young children, or pets that may get into them; in that case please keep them safely out of reach. My son is 21 and has no interest in my heart, or blood pressure medications, so I don't have to worry so much.

It also must be taken under consideration that some abrasion may occur, while tablets are in the bottle and jostle against each other. While it is doubtful that the entire coating would rub off, it is possible that some of it could. Age could also contribute, if they have been sitting around for awhile, but you said they are new, so it seems that doesn't apply. The medication I take for heart function has a coating on it and, occasionally, I'll see some nicks, or spots that have rubbed off.

And the ultimate deciding factor should be where they came from...if you received them from a licensed U.S. pharmacy, there is no reason to worry. However, if they were obtained via some other means, there's no guarantees.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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