A spoonful of jam helps the medicine go down – University of Plymouth

After learning that 40% of users struggle to swallow medication, Plymouth student Andrew Coghill has designed a number of products to enable patients of all ages and abilities to ingest it more easily, through everyday natural activities such as sucking and eating.

The three designs include ‘Parajam’, which is a mixture of paracetamol and jam and is dispensed in wrapped segments which can be applied to bread and cakes.

Then there is ‘Penicine’, a lolly-like stick which invites the user to suck, nibble and chew on its nib, which painlessly dispenses a 1gm dosage of penicillin.

And finally there is ‘Ouch’, a small vacuum-sealed container that enables medicine to be drunk in one quick motion.

Andrew, 21, said: “The inspiration for these designs was my grandmother who really struggles to take tablets unless they are crushed up. So I questioned whether there could be a different method of taking medicine that would involve more natural methods such as chewing and sucking.

 “It has absolutely delighted my nan, who is quite looking forward to trying parajam!”