Gaviscon

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Gaviscon is a non-prescription medication for the treatment of heartburn and GERD (acid reflux). It is produced and distributed in the UK by Reckitt Benckiser and by GlaxoSmithKline in the US and Canada.

Gaviscon is taken to treat heartburn, similar to other antacids. Gaviscon is based on a mixture of the buffering agents and neutralizers calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, the laxative magnesium carbonate and the gelling agents alginic acid and aluminium hydroxide. When taken by mouth the combination of the alginic acid and bicarbonate creates a barrier which prevents stomach acid from refluxing back up into the esophagus.

If reflux occurs, this protective barrier is the first to contact the esophageal mucosa, in lieu of gastric contents.

It may be helpful to combine treatment with lifestyle modifications such as loss of weight, raising the head of the bed at night, reduction in alcohol consumption and cessation of smoking^[1].

The Gaviscon infant variant for infants (≥ 1 years) and young children contains only the gelling agents sodium alginate and magnesium alginate. It is used to help stabilize the stomach contents and reduce reflux and regurgitation, but is not an antacid.

Reckitt Benckiser has been accused of cheating the NHS by blocking a generic version of Gaviscon. Reports on BBC Newsnight disclose Reckitt's plan to manipulate regulators on supposed safety grounds, threaten legal challenges and spin out procedures. The company suddenly withdrew its cheap Gaviscon supplies from the NHS in 2005. It allegedly used high-pressure sales tactics on doctors to transfer patients on to a slightly reformulated product, called Gaviscon Advance ^[2]^[3].