A Good Little Antacid

To the Editor: Antacids, when taken appropriately, are as effective as cimetidine in healing duodenal ulcers.¹ Many believe that antacids are the drug of choice in treating acute“acid-peptic”symptoms, esophageal reflux, and peptic-ulcer disease in children and pregnant or nursing women. Perhaps the major disadvantage of this safe and effective therapy is that antacids are seldom taken as directed.² Clinical and personal experience suggests that the unpleasant taste of many antacid preparations is an important cause of poor compliance. We have therefore devised a system for evaluating the taste of antacids, with the hope of identifying the most palatable. . .