Scientists have found a new way to coat a common medicine called drotaverine hydrochloride without using titanium dioxide (TiO2). This is important because the European Commission has banned TiO2 as a food additive and might do the same for medicines. If this happens, many medicines will need to be reformulated. The researchers developed a new method to test the purity of the medicine and found a small amount of an unknown substance. They suggested that this substance should be allowed up to 0.5 percent in the medicine to ensure it stays good for at least two years. The researchers also found that iron oxides can be used instead of TiO2 in the coating without affecting the medicine’s stability. This means that medicines can be made without TiO2 and still be safe and effective. The research was published in the International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics.