MELA Study - Hedonic Study on the Taste of Drugs Crushed in Food: Observational Study Involving 16 Healthy Volunteers

Background. Elderly people often suffer from chronic pathologies and they are given polypharmacy. In nursing homes, the residents take an average number of 6 to 8 active principles / day (Reference Geriatrics ward, Nice University Hospital, France), the equivalent of 10 to 20 medicines / day. But 40 % of the residents have swallowing disorders or cognitive impairment: the nursing staff is obliged to crush tablets and capsules and to give them mixed in a compote, a dairy or a jelly, for instance. Some experts groups (OMEDIT) have published a list of drugs authorized to be crushed, because this practice can modify the pharmacokinetics of certain active principles, and render them inactive or even toxic. However, the gustative aspect of crushed drugs has never been investigated.

Main objective. To identify from the advice of healthy volunteers, on the gustative aspect, which medicine it is acceptable or not recommended to add once crushed or opened in food.

Secondary objective. To search for alternative solutions. Type of study. Phase I study on healthy volunteers. It is a cohort study, with a hedonic, descriptive test in a single group and a single one session, to test the taste of 10 drugs crushed in some jelly and apple compote.

Volunteers participating in the study will be 16 healthy volunteers: 8 professionals of the restaurant, the catering, the food aromas, the nutrition and the dietetics, and 8 doctors, pharmacists, dental surgeons, nurses and/or nurse's aides.

Inclusion criteria: healthy volunteers over 18 years, without allergy known about 10 drugs to be tested. Pregnant women will not be included.