Collagen in medicines

This resource on collagen is for the Muslim community (including patients, carers, parents and members of the public).

Healthcare professionals may also find this resource useful when supporting people with gathering information, sourcing and prescribing halāl alternatives. 

It highlights the issues of collagen use in medicines that you should be aware of. There is also a table to help you understand if collagen is halāl or harām, according to each of the four Sunni schools of thought.

Table Of Contents
  1. What is collagen?
  2. How collagen is used in medicines
  3. How the use of collagen in medicines affects Muslims
  4. Is all collagen halāl or harām?
  5. How do I find out if a medicine contains collagen and is halāl?
  6. Summary
  7. References

What is collagen?

Collagen is a key protein found in animals and is a vital component of connective tissues which helps to strengthen structures such as bones, muscles and skin. 1
Collagen can be sourced from the skin, bones and cartilage from animals such as cows, pigs and chickens. It can also be sourced from the scales and skin of fish. 2

How collagen is used in medicines

Collagen can be used in drug delivery systems such as tablets for protein delivery and gel formulations for sustained drug delivery. Collagen is also marketed in the form of dietary supplements for joints, hair, skin and nails. 3

How the use of collagen in medicines affects Muslims

The Muslim community needs to be aware that collagen is derived from animals. 

The permissibility of collagen is dependent upon which animal the collagen is sourced from. The Muslim community should follow their trusted scholars and certified halāl sources to ensure their medicines align with Islamic guidelines. 

Therefore, it is important to check for halāl certification to ensure halāl-compliant manufacturing.  However, please note that information regarding cross-contamination or potential contact with harām sources is not always readily available from all manufacturers.

It is important for the Muslim community to:

  1. Check if the medicine you are taking contains collagen and clarify the source
  2. Check for halāl certification

To find out this information, you may need to directly contact the manufacturer of your medicine. You could also speak to your local pharmacist and your local Imam for advice and support. For further information see section on How do I find out if a medicine contains collagen and is halāl?.

Is all collagen halāl or harām?

The table below summarizes which sources of collagen are halāl or harām for each school of thought:2

SourceHanafiMaliki ShafiHanbali
Bovine (cow) collagen from dead Islamically slaughtered cows✅ Pure✅ Pure✅ Pure✅ Pure
Bovine (cow) collagen from dead un-Islamically slaughtered cows✅ Pure❌Legally impure; harām to consume. All parts of the dead animal is impure; this includes collagen from bone. ❌Legally impure; harām to consume. Bones are consider impure. ❌Legally impure; harām to consume. Bones are consider impure.
Bovine (cow) tanned skin*❌Pure-but cannot be consumed. Tanned cow hide/skin is considered pure and permissible to use but not for consumption.

Hanafi scholars accept both chemical tanning (dabgh al-ḥaqīqī) and exposure to sun/dust (dabgh al-ḥukmī) for purification.
purification. 		❌Legally impure-harām to consume❌Legally impure-harām to consume.❌Pure but cannot be consumed. Tanned cow hide/skin is considered pure and permissible for use but not for consumption.

Shafi’I scholars accept only chemical tanning (dabgh al-ḥaqīqī) for purification
Porcine (pig)
❌Harām❌Harām❌Harām❌Harām
Fish✅ Halāl ✅ Halāl ✅ Halāl ✅ Halāl
Chicken slaughtered Islamically✅ Halāl ✅ Halāl ✅ Halāl ✅ Halāl
Chicken slaughtered non-Islamically❌Legally impure; harām to consume except from bone❌Legally impure; harām to consume❌Legally impure; harām to consume❌Legally impure; harām to consume

* Tanning process – the process that treats the collagen in animal skin and hides with a chemical agent to make leather4

In summary, collagen derived from Islamically slaughtered cows or chickens is considered pure and halāl according to all schools of thought. Collagen derived from non-Islamically slaughtered cows and chickens is harām and legally impure according to all schools of thought with the exception of the Hanafi school which considers bovine (cow) collagen halāl from bone even if slaughtered non-Islamically on the condition that there is no blood or moisture.  Fish derived collagen is halāl and porcine (pig) derived collagen is harām according to all four schools of thought.

How do I find out if a medicine contains collagen and is halāl?

You can check if a medicine contains collagen using the relevant patient information leaflet (PIL) or summary of product characteristics (SPC) available on the electronic medicines compendium (emc) website. However, you may need to contact the manufacturer to find out the source and for halāl certification. You may also find our resource on ‘How to find out if a medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients’ useful. If you are still unsure if your medicine contains collagen, speak to your local healthcare professional such as your local pharmacist. 

It is important to remember that even if a medicine contains a harām ingredient or excipient, it does not always mean it is prohibited to take. If you find out a medicine contains an haram ingredient or excipient from harām source, then see our guide on ‘What to do if a medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients’.  The guide includes the conditions of when it is acceptable to take a medicine that contains harām ingredients or excipients from harām sources. It may also help you make informed decisions on the next steps in discussions with your healthcare professional. If you are still not sure if it is permissible to take your medicine, then speak to your local Imam or trusted Islamic scholar (ideally who has relevant knowledge and expertise in the Fiqh of medicines).


Please continue to take your medicine(s) as prescribed.

Do not stop taking your medicine(s), change your medicine(s), or change the way you take your medicine(s) without discussing this with the healthcare professional who prescribed it for you.

Summary

  • Collagen derived from Islamically slaughtered cows or chickens is considered pure and halāl according to all schools of thought
  • Collagen derived from non-Islamically slaughtered cows and chickens is legally impure and harām to consume according to all schools of thought with the exception of the Hanafi school which considers bovine (cow) collagen halāl from bone even if slaughtered non-Islamically on the condition that there is no blood or moisture.
  • Fish derived collagen is halāl according to all schools of thought
  • Porcine (pig) derived collagen is harām according to all four schools of thought.
  • You can check if the medicine you are taking contains collagen using the PIL or SPC. If you are unsure, then speak to your local pharmacist
  • You could check if there is halāl certification available for the medicine from the manufacturer, to ensure halal-compliant manufacturing and compliance with Islamic dietary guidelines
  • If you are seeking halāl products, look fish derived, or halāl-certified bovine and sources (where available and possible)
  • If you are unsure if your medicine is permissible to take, then speak to your local Imam.

References

  1. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/collagen/ ↩︎
  2. Islamic Perspective on lactose by Shaykh Dr Rafaqat Rashid  ↩︎
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11397563/#:~:text=Abstract,each%20system%20are%20also%20discussed ↩︎
  4.  Benedict Nnachi Alum (2024). Tannins and Leather: Chemistry, Tanning Processes, and Environmental Impacts. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES, 5(3):33-37. https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJSES/2024/10.5.333337 ↩︎

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