Can I split my pills to save money?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Sometimes - but only for tablets the FDA has approved for splitting, and only with your prescriber or pharmacist's sign-off. Approved tablets are scored with a line marking exactly where to split, and the label says so. Split an unapproved tablet and the halves can carry uneven drug amounts; split an extended-release tablet and you can get the whole dose at once.
What to do
- Ask your prescriber first. They confirm whether your exact medication and dose are splitting candidates.
- Check for the score line. A tablet approved for splitting has a scored mark; no score means the FDA has not evaluated the halves.
- Never split extended-release or coated forms. Splitting destroys the release or coating mechanism and changes how the drug hits you.
- Use a pill splitter. The cheap plastic device from any pharmacy gives even halves; a knife does not.
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