Taste is one of the strongest predictors of whether a medicine will actually be taken. For oral medicines, especially in children, bitterness or unpleasant mouthfeel can lead to refusal, incomplete dosing, and poor adherence, directly impacting therapeutic outcomes. 63% of children aged 10 to 18 report that bad taste is a major barrier to taking their medicine.* Even the most effective drug cannot work if the patient avoids taking it.
When children struggle with taste or swallowability, caregivers often crush or manipulate tablets to aid administration. This can increase bitterness, compromise dose accuracy and stability, and reduce treatment success. Poor palatability can also drive clinical trial dropouts, compromise data quality, and delay regulatory approval.
Regulators now recognise the significance of acceptability. The European Paediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) framework requires companies to demonstrate that medicines are suitable for their intended age group, both clinically and in terms of sensory experience.
At Gustoceutics™, we help companies understand and optimise the sensory performance of oral medicines from the earliest stages of development. By generating objective taste data and providing evidence based formulation guidance, we enable teams to make better decisions that support adherence, improve patient experience, and enhance clinical and commercial success.
*Nordenmalm S et al. Children’s views on taking medicines and participating in clinical trials. Arch Dis Child. 2019. doi 10.1136/archdischild 2018 316511
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