Hi, I am taking Aygestin (Norethisterone) and have read here that it contains dairy and one should not take it for an hour after eating meat. Is this the Halacha? I need to take it twice a day and it’s hard to make sure that I’m not eating any meat for an hour beforehand.
Answer
Thank you for reaching out to us.
Your question has prompted us to review this issue with our rabbinic supervisor, Rav Kenneth Auman.
Many hormonal pills do include lactose, a dairy ingredient. As a matter of stringency, some recommend waiting an hour after a meat meal prior to taking it.
However, the basic halacha is that when a given pill is not chewable and does not have a flavored coating, it is not considered a food. Therefore, one need not be concerned about having it before, during, or after a meat meal.
We hope this helps. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
