Question
My mum has been ordered to take Calcium Vitamin C tablets prescribed for her for the rest of her life. However, these tablets contain gelatin, but my mum has asked whether this contains animal gelatin and unfortunately she was told that they could not find out whether this contains animal gelatin. Is she permitted to take Calcium Vitamin C tablets?
Answered by: Mufti Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah the Inspirer of truth
Gelatin has been considered haram according to the majority of scholars unless it is from a vegetarian (or halal-slaughtered) source. This unfortunately cannot be determined here. What needs to be done here is that a suitable alternative has to be found. Calcium and vitamin c is probably not a difficult combination to find in caplet form rather than in a capsule.
The doctor can also be consulted along with the pharmacy to find a suitable alternative. The doctor may be able to change the prescription or the pharmacy can substitute the original ones for the non-gelatin type.
Wassalam
Mufti Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf