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According to doctors, in some cases, medications need to be split in half. If a 500 mg version of the medication is unavailable, the scoring line allows a 1,000 mg tablet to be split evenly
In some cases, doctors advise taking half a tablet instead of a full one, and the scoring line ensures an accurate split. (News18 Hindi)
Even noticed a thin line running through the middle of medicinal tablets? Ever wondered what it’s there for?
Dr Sonia Rawat, Director of the Preventive Health and Wellness Department at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, told News18 that the line in the middle of a tablet is called a ‘scoring line’. It is added during manufacturing to allow the tablet to be split easily if a half dose is required.
In some cases, doctors advise taking half a tablet instead of a full one, and the scoring line ensures an accurate split.
According to Dr Rawat, some medications are prescribed based on body weight. For example, a person weighing 80 kg may be prescribed a 1,000 mg tablet, while someone weighing 40 kg may require only 500 mg. If a 500 mg version of the medication is unavailable, the scoring line allows the 1,000 mg tablet to be split evenly. However, not all tablets have scoring lines, as some medications must be taken whole for proper efficacy.
The doctor stated that this depends on the type, dosage, and composition of the medication. Some tablets contain very low doses, which are meant to be consumed whole. Others are designed for slow release, and breaking them could alter their effectiveness.
Certain tablets also have special coatings that aid absorption, and splitting them could compromise their intended function. Therefore, scoring lines are only added when necessary.
