Gelatine in Medicine
By Kulsum Rajani- 18/07/2011
Ayatollah Sistani`s Fatwah #351 "It is not obligatory on a Muslim to investigate whether or not the medicine [given to him] consists of forbidden ingredients, even if the process of reading a result is easy for him." Therefore, if you have a medicine which consists of forbidden ingredient it is not haraam to take. On the contrary although you will not be sinned it will have an impact on spirituality as a najis ingredient has been ingested.
The way I interpret it is, if a glass of juice has poison if knowingly I drink the glass of juice, it may cause death and will be considered as suicide. On the contrary if I have the juice without knowing that it has poison, it will cause death but will not be considered as suicide. In the same way if you ingest haraam it will have an impact on the soul.
In my opinion if a medicine has a forbidden ingredient, it is better to protect your soul and go for the alternative form.
There are many medicines which have alcohol or gelatine as ingredients prescribe to patients despite alternative form of medicine is available. Example capsule drugs are available in syrup.
Majority of the medicine that contain gelatine are in the capsule form. Most of the capsules are made of pork gelatine due to cost effectiveness although vegetarian capsules are available. It is important to read the patient information leaflet as this will tell you about the ingredients. You can ask your doctor to prescribe the medicine in the tablet or syrup form. If your doctor has less knowledge on these product ask the pharmacist which can help you find an alternative medicine for.
The common medicines that normal healthy individuals may come across in some point of life.
These alternatives are same active ingredient just different form
Antibiotics
Amoxicillin capsules the alternative available as amoxicillin syrup
Flucloxacillin capsules the alternative available as Flucloxicillin syrup
Cefalexin capsules the alternative available as amoxicillin cefalexin tablets
Doxycycline Capsules the alternative available as Vibramycin-D daspersable tablets.
Minocycline capsules the alternative available as minocycline tablets
Azithromycin capsules the alternative available as azithromycin tablets
Erythromycin capsules the alternative available as erythromycin tablets
Nitrofurantoin Capsules the alternative available as nitrofurantoin tablets.
Itraconazole Capsules the alternative available as Itraconazole oral liquid (sporanox)
A few of the antibiotics which have no alternative are: clindamycin capsules, lymecycline(tetralysal),
Indigestion:
Lansoprazole capsules (a few companies do not use gelatine in the capsules) another alternative that is available is Zoton.
Omeprazole capsules alternative available as Omeprazole tablets
Which have no alternative available: Colpermin, mintec,
Other common drugs
Ramipril Capsules the alternative available as ramipril tablets
Isosorbide mononitrate modified release Capsules the alternative available as Isosorbide mononitrate modified release tablets
It is best to always read the patient information leaflet to have an idea of what the medicine is made up of. If you are taking any medication and want to know if it has gelatine please feel free to email/post a comment.
Ayatollah Sistani`s Fatwah #351 "It is not obligatory on a Muslim to investigate whether or not the medicine [given to him] consists of forbidden ingredients, even if the process of reading a result is easy for him." Therefore, if you have a medicine which consists of forbidden ingredient it is not haraam to take. On the contrary although you will not be sinned it will have an impact on spirituality as a najis ingredient has been ingested.
The way I interpret it is, if a glass of juice has poison if knowingly I drink the glass of juice, it may cause death and will be considered as suicide. On the contrary if I have the juice without knowing that it has poison, it will cause death but will not be considered as suicide. In the same way if you ingest haraam it will have an impact on the soul.
In my opinion if a medicine has a forbidden ingredient, it is better to protect your soul and go for the alternative form.
There are many medicines which have alcohol or gelatine as ingredients prescribe to patients despite alternative form of medicine is available. Example capsule drugs are available in syrup.
Majority of the medicine that contain gelatine are in the capsule form. Most of the capsules are made of pork gelatine due to cost effectiveness although vegetarian capsules are available. It is important to read the patient information leaflet as this will tell you about the ingredients. You can ask your doctor to prescribe the medicine in the tablet or syrup form. If your doctor has less knowledge on these product ask the pharmacist which can help you find an alternative medicine for.
The common medicines that normal healthy individuals may come across in some point of life.
These alternatives are same active ingredient just different form
Antibiotics
Amoxicillin capsules the alternative available as amoxicillin syrup
Flucloxacillin capsules the alternative available as Flucloxicillin syrup
Cefalexin capsules the alternative available as amoxicillin cefalexin tablets
Doxycycline Capsules the alternative available as Vibramycin-D daspersable tablets.
Minocycline capsules the alternative available as minocycline tablets
Azithromycin capsules the alternative available as azithromycin tablets
Erythromycin capsules the alternative available as erythromycin tablets
Nitrofurantoin Capsules the alternative available as nitrofurantoin tablets.
Itraconazole Capsules the alternative available as Itraconazole oral liquid (sporanox)
A few of the antibiotics which have no alternative are: clindamycin capsules, lymecycline(tetralysal),
Indigestion:
Lansoprazole capsules (a few companies do not use gelatine in the capsules) another alternative that is available is Zoton.
Omeprazole capsules alternative available as Omeprazole tablets
Which have no alternative available: Colpermin, mintec,
Other common drugs
Ramipril Capsules the alternative available as ramipril tablets
Isosorbide mononitrate modified release Capsules the alternative available as Isosorbide mononitrate modified release tablets
It is best to always read the patient information leaflet to have an idea of what the medicine is made up of. If you are taking any medication and want to know if it has gelatine please feel free to email/post a comment.
