Evaluation of the palatability of Oramorph- a proprietary preparation of oral morphine sulphate

Abstract

The palatability of Oramorph, a proprietary preparation of morphine sulphate (Boehringer Ingelheim), was compared with an aqueous solution produced by the hospital pharmacy. Thirty patients receiving regular oral morphine sulphate for either pain relief or dyspnoea entered a double-blind, randomized, comparator- controlled crossover trial. Taste preference and other factors were evaluated using Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Eighteen patients preferred the taste of Oramorph and 12 the hospital formulation. The mean preference in Oramorph's favour, however, did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.3). When each patient's scores were examined separately, 17 expressed a preference, the magnitude of which was of clinical importance, (score of > 30mm on the VAS). Eleven of these were for Oramorph and six for aqueous morphine. When the pleasantness of taste for each solution was assessed independently, a similar result was obtained, with 20 patients rating Oramorph as having a more pleasant taste than aqueous morphine. Ten patients found the reverse to be true. The majority, 22 patients, found Oramorph to be less bitter than aqueous morphine. There was no difference between the smell and texture of the two solutions.