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Question answered:08/02/08 Warning! this question is over two years old.
We have been asked, on a number of occasions, if there are lists of drugs suitable for a particular diet/group e.g. vegetarian or Muslim. However, we have never been able to find such a list.
We would recommend looking at the SPCs for a drug, these include a list of excipients. SPCs can be viewed electronically via http://emc.medicines.org.uk/.
UK Medicines Information have looked at lactose free antidepressants [1] and in their full response they report:
“Most adults consume around 25g a day of lactose without symptoms. In those with lactose intolerance, symptoms are usually mild and dose related. A recent meta-analysis compared the severity and frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms in people (n=862) with lactose intolerance following masked exposure to lactose (between 7 to 25g) and placebo. Of the outcomes recorded, only the incidence of diarrhoea and loose stools was significantly higher following lactose ingestion, but the size of the effect was small (incidence difference 0.15 [95% CI 0.03 to 0.28]).
As the dose of lactose in most pharmaceuticals seldom exceeds 2g a day, use of medications containing lactose is unlikely to result in severe gastrointestinal symptoms in the majority of people (1). Only a few anecdotal cases of intolerance to lactose in medications have been reported in the literature. However, for a small number of patients, a lactose-free medication may be required and the table below gives details of lactose-free antidepressants.”
They were also able to list a table on lactose-free antidepressants. Medicines Information units have significant additional drug resources at their disposal and therefore may be able to supply a list of lactose-free medications on request. If you would like us to forward your question can you let us know via ‘Contact us’ (http://www.clinicalanswers.nhs.uk/index.cfm?action=contact)
Reference
1) http://www.nelm.nhs.uk/Record%20Viewing/viewRecord.aspx?id=574224
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