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Pill Cutters

Pill Cutters are also known as pill splitters, tablet dividers, pill breakers or tablet cutters. These devices allow patients to divide pills in half to provide two separate doses at half strength. For some drugs, like the statins, this process can save money on drug purchases since the statin drugs are less expensive in higher dose tablets. Instead of using a knife or razor blade, using a pill splitter is safer and more evenly distributes the do

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Advantages of Pill Splitting

Some patients are unable to swallow large tablets
Cost savings
Reduced space requirement in pharmacies
Makes new medications available to more people
Makes expensive medications accessible to more people
Allows "physicians to individualize a patient's dosage when the medication is not available in the desired dosage"⁵ (Stafford p707)

Disadvantages of Pill Splitting

Not suitable for some patients with loss of dexterity
Not suitable for patients with cognitive loss
Patient compliance may be an issue for some patients
Additional risk of incorrect dosing

Types of Pill Slicers

Hinged Razor Blade - razor blade cutting surface placed in a hinged device with a pill slot. Just clamp the device shut to cut the pill.
Push Stamp Splitter - place pill in slot, close lid, push down activator to cut tablet
Magnifying Pill Cutter - hinged razor blade with a transparent, magnified lid
Combo Types - split, crush, storage, and drink cup combos are small, portable devices with more utility
Scissor Type - scissors specifically designed to cut tablets
Multiple Shapes Pill Splitter - slots of different sizes that accommodate different sized pills that rotate or have template inserts to hold the tablet in place for the razor blade cutter
Multiple Pill Splitter - either slotted or inline with a hinged razor blade
Hinged Razor Blade with Safety Device - includes safety shield or a retracting blade

Selecting the Best Pill Cutter

Tablet Cutter Selection Continuum

In the infographic above, a product selection continuum displays different types of medicine cutters and where they generally lie in price and features. The products on the right typically have more features, are more durable, and are higher in price. The products to the left have fewer features and are often lower in price.