In the medical field, different types of pills belong to many categories based on their functions, ingredients and release forms. Oral contraceptives such as ethinylestradiol and cyproterone acetate tablets make up 63% of the global contraceptive market (WHO figures in 2023), with hormone content normally between 20 and 35μg of estrogen, and a contraceptive efficacy of 99.7% (under normal conditions of use). On the other hand, annual consumption of antipyretic and analgesic tablets (such as ibuprofen) is valued at 120 billion tablets (Statista data as of 2024), in one dose of 200-400mg. Peak concentration of drugs within the blood at 30 minutes (C_max=22μg/mL), and the bioavailability is approximately about 80% (FDA pharmacokinetic requirements).
The slow-release type is another crucial distinction. Metformin hydrochloride controlled-release tablets achieve controlled release over a span of 24 hours with a hydrophilic gel matrix. Disintegration of 500mg tablet in gastric juice is ≤20% per hour (USP standard), and variability of fluctuation of blood glucose is reduced by 47% compared with standard tablets (The Lancet 2022 research study). Production cost of such tablets is 35% higher than that of instant-release tablets (due to complex coating process), while the compliance of patients has increased to 92% (compared with 78% of standard tablets).
Nutritional supplement tablets account for 39% of the health market share (Grand View Research statistics). The number of annual sale of vitamin D3 tablets (1000IU per tablet) was 8.5 billion tablets, but research indicates that only 12% of the users’ blood calcium levels normalized to the normal range (NHANES 2023 survey). On the other hand, the intestinal colonizing rate of probiotic tablets (10 billion CFU per tablet) is 23% (experimental data by the Journal Nature Microbiology), and it takes continued usage for more than 14 days to become effective.
Special dosage forms such as oral disintegrating tablets (ODT) are also frequently utilized in elderly patients. Alprazolam oral dissolving tablets of 0.5mg strength can disintegrate in 30 seconds, and time to peak drug blood level is lowered to 15 minutes (45 minutes in case of regular tablets), and it is ideal for acute panic attacks. But it costs 28% more to produce than standard tablets (due to freeze drying’s increased energy consumption), and the storage humidity requirement is ≤30% (≤60% for standard tablets).
The annual sales of Chinese patent medicine tablets (such as Lianhua Qingwen Capsules) in the Chinese market amounted to 4.5 billion yuan (2023 financial report), and their ingredients are forsythia glycoside (≥1.5mg per tablet) and honeysuckle extract (≥8mg per tablet). Clinical trials showed that the duration of remission of influenza symptoms is reduced by 1.8 days compared to that of the placebo group (a 2021 Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine article), but bioavailability fluctuating range (±32%) is larger than that of chemical medicine (±15%).
Problem of abuse of illegal drugs such as methamphetamine tablets (“ecstasy”) is serious. According to the UNODC report, global capture volume in 2022 was 130 million tablets of average MDMA content 120mg per tablet (twice the safe dose). Long-term use can lead to a 40% reduction in 5-HT receptor density (animal studies in Neuropharmacology). Legalized medical marijuana tablets (THC 10mg/CBD 20mg) have been widely utilized in some United States states, with an efficacy rate of pain relief of 58% (NCCIH 2023 data).
Technologically at the level of iteration, 3D printed tablets (e.g., Spritam®) achieve a disintegration time of ≤15 seconds through a porous structure (traditional tablets ≥2 minutes), with a deviation in dosage accuracy of only ±2% (traditional pressed tablets ±5%). The initial FDA-approved digital pill (Abilify MyCite®) contains sensors to monitor medication taking, but the cost of a single tablet is up to 4.5 (0.3 for normal tablets). All these advancements pushed the Global tablet Market to grow at a CAGR of 6.8%, which is going to hit more than $85 billion by 2030 (estimated by Global Market Insights).