[Dysphagia] Pill swallowing cup

[eripley at yahoo.com (Irene Campbell-Taylor)]

June 27, 2006 ? The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a pill-swallowing cup to facilitate ingestion of medications and vitamins in patients who have difficulty swallowing; an autoinjection device with one-touch activation and an easy-to-grasp size and shape for patients requiring adalimumab therapy; and a syringe that features a subepidermal locking sheath to minimize the risk for accidental needlestick injuries in healthcare workers. 


Pill-Swallowing Cup Minimizes Risk for Aspiration in Patients With Difficulty Swallowing 

Registered with the FDA in June as a class 3 medical device, Pill Swallowing Cup, made by Oraflo Technologies, LLC, facilitates the ingestion of medications and vitamin supplements in individuals aged 4 years and older for whom swallowing pills is a challenge. 

The product is intended to assist the swallowing reflex and benefit people of all ages and many conditions including autism, cancer, Parkinson's disease and attention deficit?hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to a company news release, results of a 2004 study conducted by Harris Interactive have revealed that 40% of US adults have difficulty swallowing pills despite their ability to swallow foods or liquids. 

To use the device, the cup is filled halfway with water or other liquid and the lid placed securely. The pill is then dropped into the spout to rest above the liquid in a mesh with fluted ribs that minimizes surface contact with the cup. The angled mouthpiece extension allows the pill and liquid to be swallowed without backward tilting of the head, a feature of benefit to patients with neck pain or limited mobility. 

The cup is compatible with all marketed sizes of pills and eliminates the need for pill crushing and cutting, thereby enabling proper administration of time-release and coated capsules and tablets.


Dr I Campbell-Taylor
Clinical Neuroscientist
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