Does the Color of a Drug Affect Its Effectiveness?

The color of a drug has nothing to do with the actual efficacy of the medication, but color can have a significant impact on how the patient perceives the effectiveness of that medication. Patients tend to perceive medications that have a cooler color, such as green or brown, as being calming and having sedative properties. Medications that are brightly colored are often perceived as being more stimulating.

More facts drugs and colors:

• Not all generic prescription medications have the same coloration or shape as their name brand counterparts. For example, a half-milligram dosage of a generic version of alprazolam might have the same pink hue as the name brand drug or might be prepared with a yellow tint.


• According to research conducted at the University of Bombay in India, age and gender might affect how people perceive the effectiveness of over-the-counter medications. The study found that middle-aged people were twice as likely as young adults to reach for a red medication. In addition, women were more likely than men to choose over-the-counter medications that were red.


• Color also might affect how patients view the taste of certain medications. If the color is not perceived to be accurate for the medication, the pill or tablet might be perceived as being bitter. By contrast, if the patient finds the color agreeable, the taste might be perceived as being somewhat sweet.