Do vegans take medicine that comes in gelatin capsules?

Question

Gelatin is made of animal hooves, bones, and hides. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin

I do know a vegan, and I know she doesn't eat Jello, but I was wondering if you guys avoid taking medicines in gelatin capsules if you can avoid it.

Obviously you're not going to refuse it (well, I would hope you wouldn't) if you can't get it in another form, but if you can get it as a liquid or a solid pill, do you avoid taking it in gelatin capsules?

Or is it just not that big of a deal? Seems like there are some minutiae where you just wouldn't have to worry about it.

Answer 1

I don't.

Answer 2

It depends.  Is that the only form it's available in?  Can I get it another way?  Is it life-saving?  Or like a pain reliever?

Veganism does not require that you martyr yourself to the cause.  If I require medication and it only comes in gelatin capsules, I'll suck it up and take it that way.  If I can safely transfer the contents to a vegan capsule, or get it in liquid or tablet form, that would be my first choice.

It IS a big deal to me, but my health comes first.  I don't buy anything over the counter, including vitamins, that contain gelatin.

Answer 3

No.. vegans are highly against gelatin. I guess it depends on how hard-core vegan they are. But for the most part, no.

Answer 4

no, they don't use gelatin cap medications.  pharmacies can provide gelatin-free vegan capsules instead if you just ask them......the medication would come in a powder form and can either be mixed into a liquid medication or it can be measured into vegan capsules (depending on the medication).

Answer 5

No

Answer 6

Vegans (generally speaking) make strong efforts to avoid animal flesh/secretions in all products they purchase and use, and medications are no exception.

I've found (again, generally speaking) that for that reason, vegans tend to be more likely to use alternative therapies and natural remedies for non-threatening ailments.

Personally, I always seek out the animal-free alternative.

Answer 7

Vegans will avoid it. Most medicines also come in tablet form....

Answer 8

No, they don't. Doing so wouldn't be vegan.

Answer 9

Relax. No they don't and neither do vegetarians. There are vegetarian capsules that many good vitamins come in. They are composed of agaragar a sea veggie. No problem. We have had this one covered for at least the past 34 years.

As for pharmaceuticals, we tell our physician that we are vegetarian or vegan and the medicine is prescribed in an appropriate form -- either liquid of in veg gel caps.

Answer 10

No, although thanks 'cause I hadn't thought about this previously, and I think I'm going to get some B12 vitamins soon because the cafeteria's soymilk (MoonRose vegetarian) isn't fortified.

So thanks for the heads up!

Answer 11

If it can be avoided, no.

However, being vegan is not about being a martyr; if there is no alternative and the condition being treated is serious then yes, vegans will take whatever is necessary. Not to do so would not be vegan, it would be stupid.

I'm vegan, and yes avoiding animal products like gelatine is a big deal, but health is a bigger deal.

Every day I take a prescribed drug that, while it doesn't contain gelatine, does contain lactose. It's potentially life-saving. I can still take it and remain a vegan according to the definition given by the person who coined the word