Step 1. Clean your hands.
Wash and dry your hands before you use your tablet cutter.
Step 2. Position the tablet.
Take your tablet and carefully position it on the area of the cutter designed to hold it. For most tablet cutters this is on the bottom half of the cutter in a V shaped or hollow area.
Step 3. Make sure that the tablet is lined-up correctly.
If the tablet has a line across its middle (score line) make sure the blade is directly above it, so that the blade will cut along the line. If the tablet doesn’t have a score line, centre it carefully so that it will cut into two halves which are the same size.
Step 4. Close the cutter.
When you are sure that the tablet is in the right position, with the blade lined-up to cut the tablet into equal halves, lower the top half of the cutter.
Step 5. Press down gently.
Press down gently and steadily on the top half of the cutter until the blade cuts through the tablet.
Step 6. Collect the Tablet Halves.
Open the tablet cutter carefully. There should be two equal halves of your tablet. If you’ve been asked to cut your tablets into quarters, take one half of the tablet off the cutter. Put the other under the cutting blade and cut it across the middle, following the instructions in the steps above. There is less likely to be a score line to guide you, so be careful when you’re placing the halved tablet beneath the blade. If the tablet has crumbled or the “halves” are very unequal, start again with a new whole tablet.
If the tablets come in a container with a screw on lid, store the extra halves in this original container. If the tablets come in a box, store the extra halves in the reservoir area of the cutter for the next dose.
If the tablets crumble every time you try to cut them, please contact your doctor or pharmacist and they will either help you to cut the tablets, or find an alternative option for you.
Please do not discard crumbled tablets in the bin or down the sink or toilet. Please keep them in a secure container and return them to your pharmacy for destruction.
Step 7. Rinse the tablet cutter.
Do
- rinse the tablet cutter every week under a running tap and leave it to air dry.
Be aware
the blade of the cutter is sharp and could cut you, so do not touch it when you’re cleaning or using the cutter.
Store the tablet cutter with your medications in a safe place where children can’t get to it.
Who can I contact for further information or advice?
Please contact your local pharmacist if you would like any further information or advice.
The information in this leaflet is for guidance purposes only and is in no way intended to replace professional clinical advice by a qualified practitioner.