Design, formulation and manufacture of film-coated drug products

Film coating is a common step in tablet manufacture that can be used to improve product appearance, organoleptic properties, or to facilitate swallowing. Functional film coats can also be used as a part of the product’s stabilisation strategy and to modify or delay drug release.

The film coat, along with the tablet shape and size, defines the appearance of the product. Distinctive colours and shapes can be important aspects of the brand image. Colour also helps patient to distinguish between different medications and is an important aspect of compliance. Patients are more responsive when the colour matches the therapeutic use, eg, blue is a calming colour and can be useful in sleep medications. Tablet colour is also linked with flavour perceptions – pink is considered to be sweeter than red, whereas, yellow is viewed as salty irrespective of the actual components of the formulation.

Many elderly patients struggle to swallow solid oral dosage forms – a condition called dysphagia. Swallowing can be facilitated by both tablet design (small, caplet shaped) and the presence of a film coat. The US FDA has indicated that the absence of a film coat can either decrease or constrain tablet mobility compared with a coated tablet of the same size and shape. Continue reading this EPR article on film coating

Introduction to pharmaceutical film coating – Basics by pharmaexcipients.com

Video on tablet coating process