What to do if a medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients
This resource 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 and understanding information about their medicine(s).
It may help guide you on what steps to take if you find out that your medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients. This guide includes the conditions of when it is acceptable to take a medicine that contains harām ingredients or excipients, is derived from harām sources, or where there is cross-contamination with harām sources. It may also help you make informed decisions on the next steps in discussions with your healthcare professional and includes the reasons why they may not be able to prescribe a halāl alternative for you.
To find out how to check if your medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients, see our guide on ‘How to find out if a medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients‘.
Three steps to take if your medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients
Click on steps 1-3 below to help you find out more about your medicine and its permissibility:
Step one: Check if you meet all five of the conditions that make the harām medicine permissible to take
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 or use.
There are five conditions that must be met to make the harām medicine permissible to take or use. Find out if you meet the five conditions here.
✅If all five conditions are met → it is permissible to take the medicine even if it contains a harām ingredient or excipient.
⚠️If all five conditions are not met → it may not be permissible to take the medicine and you should go to step 2.
Step two: Seek a halāl alternative (where available)
If the five conditions are not met in step 1, it is advisable to seek halāl alternatives (where available and possible). Doing this may help support your discussion with your healthcare professional, mentioned in step 3.
You could find out about possible halāl alternatives in the following ways:
- Look for different formulations e.g. look for halāl liquid formulations where you have been prescribed capsules made from harām gelatine sources.
Your local pharmacist working in the following areas may also be able to help you find out this information:
- The community pharmacy – where you get your regular medicines dispensed as they have access to your medication records
- The local hospital – if you received your medicines from the hospital pharmacy
- The GP practice – some surgeries have a practice-based pharmacist available.
If you able to find an available halāl alternative, make a note of the medicine’s name, form and strength and the manufacturer’s name → go to step 3.
If you are not able to find halāl alternatives and all five conditions are not met → see section on hardship begets facility.
If you are not able to find halāl alternatives, but you later discover there are, then follow steps 1-3 again to assess your current situation.
Step three: Arrange an appointment to speak with the health care professional who prescribed your medicine
Healthcare professionals that may have prescribed your medicine include: your doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife, optometrist, pharmacist, physiotherapist, podiatrist, radiographer, paramedic or dietitian.
You may want to make an appointment with the healthcare professional who prescribed your medicine to discuss the following:
- If you want to discuss your current condition and treatment
- If you want to discuss changing to an alternative halāl option that you have found e.g. a halāl liquid formulation of the same medicine
- If you want to understand the reasons why you may not be prescribed an alternative halāl medicine – see section on Limitations on prescribing an alternative halāl medicine
- If you require further details about the five conditions above to help you decide if they have been met e.g. you want to know if your medicine has been prescribed in line with current clinical guidelines and shows evidence of effectiveness
- If any of the five conditions change for you – e.g. a halāl alternative medicine now becomes available.
You may find it helpful to write down any questions you have for your healthcare professional and to note down the brand/manufacturer you have found that makes a halāl alternative of your medicine.
Limitations on prescribing an alternative halāl medicine
Sometimes your healthcare professional may not be able to prescribe an alternative halāl medicine. Here are some reasons why:
The medicine is not cost effective
Cost effective prescribing means the medicine prescribed needs to be safe for people, meet their clinical needs and ensure best value for money from NHS resources. The alternative halāl medicine may not be a cost-effective option.
The medicine is not readily available locally
You may want to contact your local pharmacy before approaching your healthcare professional to find out if the alternative halāl medicine is readily available and if there are any stock issues. The alternative halāl medicine may not be readily available.
The medicine is not on the formulary
Formularies are a list of preferred medicines for clinical conditions that your healthcare professional must use in their work setting, based on clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and patient safety. The alternative halāl medicine may not be in the formulary.
There is a risk of antibiotic resistance
Your healthcare professional may prescribe a certain antibiotic over another to avoid antibiotic resistance and because it may also be the most clinically effective one to treat your condition. The alternative halāl medicine may not be the most clinically effective one to treat your condition.
You may wish to write down any questions and discuss these limitations (if relevant and appropriate) with your pharmacist or healthcare professional who prescribed your medicine.
Hardship begets facility
From an Islamic perspective, if you have tried your best to seek an alternative halāl medicine and it becomes too difficult for you, then you can apply the principle of ‘hardship begets facility’ (al-mashaqqa tajlib at-taysir) which allows you to take the medicine you have been prescribed.
‘Hardship begets facility’ simply means that if applying religious practice becomes too burdensome or creates hardship, then leniency can be applied to ease it. Allah Almighty says in the Qurān “Allah intends ease for you, not hardship” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185).
This principle also applies to healthcare professionals who prescribe medicines.
If you are still unsure if your medicine is permissible to take, then speak to your local Muslim healthcare professional such as your pharmacist or doctor, or your local Imam or trusted Islamic scholar (ideally who has relevant knowledge and expertise in the Fiqh of medicines).