Sensory testing assessment of dosage forms designed to resist overdose.

The respondents were students (average age: 21.3 ± 2.1 years, n = 253).

Results indicate that OTC drugs typically have larger and thicker tablets compared with prescription drugs.

Sensory tests of 3D-printed dummy tablets found that smaller tablets are easier to ingest in large numbers, whereas larger and thicker tablets are harder to consume in bulk.

For tablets with the same diameter, a 5-mm thickness tends to make overdose more difficult compared with a 2-mm thickness.