Innovative gel aid for administering tablets to stroke and other dysphagic patients

我们建议开发一种凝胶，可以将药片插入其中，使吞咽困难的患者吞咽更容易，更安全。目前帮助吞咽困难的患者服用药片的方法是将压碎的、分散的或整片的药片混合在果酱和酸奶等食品中。篡改不是为粉碎或分散而设计的药片可能会产生不良后果。同样，与食品混合可能影响药物吸收，或使护理人员容易受到未经患者同意而给药的指控（秘密给药）。我们已经开发出一种透明的凝胶，可以放在药片周围，从而使它们更容易吞咽。我们的凝胶产品对人类使用是安全的，并且已知不会与片剂成分或涂层相互作用。这种凝胶被设计成在与唾液接触时变得更滑，这意味着药片可以在没有水的情况下吞咽。这对于不能同时安全吞咽固体和液体的患者尤其有用。我们相信，在2年的额外资金支持下，我们将能够通过添加稳定剂、防腐剂和可能的调味剂（可以增加唾液分泌）来最终确定凝胶的组成，并进行小型患者试验，以证明在健康志愿者中，凝胶对药物吸收没有影响，并且凝胶对于可能使用它的患者是可以接受的。

We propose to develop a gel, within which tablets can be inserted, which makes swallowing easier and safer for patients with swallowing difficulties. Current approaches to helping patients with swallowing difficulties to take their tablets involve mixing crushed, dispersed or whole tablets in foodstuffs such as jam and yoghurt. Tampering with tablets not designed to be crushed or dispersed can have undesirable consequences. Similarly mixing with foodstuffs may affect drug absorption or leave carers open to accusations of administering medicines without the patient s consent (covert administration). We have developed a clear gel to be placed around tablets and therefore make them easier to swallow. Our gel consists of products which are both safe for human use and are known not to interact with tablet ingredients or coatings. The gel is designed to become more slippy on contact with saliva which means that tablets can be swallowed without water. This is particularly useful in patients who cannot safely swallow solids and liquids at the same time. We believe that with 2 years additional funding we will be able to both finalise the composition of the gel by the potential addition of stabilising agents, preservatives and possible flavourings (which can increase saliva production) and perform small patient trials to demonstrate that in healthy volunteers there is no effect on drug absorption and that the gel is acceptable to patients who are likely to utilise it.