<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

            This morning I called the Consumer Care Division of Bayer
Corporation in Myerstown, PA (zip17067) at 1-800-331-4536 to inquire
about the gluten content of their aspirin.  My celiac wife and I (both
in our sixties) take at lunch one adult low strength (81 mg) aspirin as
a doctor suggested regimen to "thin the blood" and decrease the risk of
the leading killer, heart attack.
            The Bayer consumer representatives, Margaret & Callie Simms,
told me the inert starch ingredients were corn starch and
hydroxylproplymethylcellulose (a synthetic starch derived from wood).
That would have been the end of the conversation, except I asked if the
aspirin was gluten free.  They each said they didn't add gluten to the
aspirin.  I repeated my question, nicely.  They then said that Bayer
couldn't (read - wouldn't) guarantee that it was glutin free because the
starch was from an outside supplier.  I pointed out examples of several
medicines where the drug firm could and would do so.
            Just what kind of effective action is called for with big
drug corporations?
   Let's keep pushing to improve the situation,  Al Rosenberg  on Cape Cod

GR>            Dear Callie Simms,
GR>                   I appreciate the chance to get clarification for
GR>celiacs on the starch contained in Bayer aspirin.  My wife has decided
GR>to discontinue taking your aspirin regimen  on the basis of  my
GR>conversation with you today.  Hopefully, when I hear from you later in
GR>the week (as you indicated), there will be a satisfactory resolution
GR>established on Bayer's purity.  This valuable level of information about
GR>the quality control of inert ingredients is certainly provided by most
GR>top drug houses for the pills that they sell, as I discussed with you.
GR>                                    Thank you,  Al Rosenberg
GR>                                                [log in to unmask]