Islamic rulings on Medicines with Haraam ingredients:

Rules regarding Medicines with Haraam ingredients:

Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Indeed Allah has sent down both illness and it’s cure, and He has appointed a cure for every illness, so treat yourselves medically, but use nothing unlawful.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, no: 3870)

From this its obvious that we just can't prescribe anything with out certain limits. It is a serious matter of shariah. Our scholars have explained that the above Hadith refers to the situation where a halal alternative is available.

*Conditions for using medicines containing Haraam ingredients*:

1) It is reasonably known that the medicine will be effective, and is needed (with out which there is a risk of health deteriorating or death);

2) There is no permissible Halal alternative reasonably available;

3) The above 2 points have been established by an expert Muslim doctor who is at least outwardly upright and God-fearing.

For example, if the medicine which is made from pig is known to be effective and no other available alternative is available, it will be permitted to avail of it. This, however, needs to be established by an expert Muslim doctor. Thus, explain the Shariah perspective to an expert Muslim Doctor and seek his advice.

-Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
Darul Iftaa, Leicester, UK

Note:

If a muttaqi and competent Muslim doctor is not available in that hospital and it's an emergency to start the treatment, discussing with an expert non-Muslim doctor who understands the severity of haraam in our religion will suffice (Mufti Faisal Abu Hajira).

*Vaccines with Haram ingredients*:

 Such vaccines can be used if: 

1. Governments make it mandatory. 

2. In non-mandatory vaccines, where no reasonable halal alternative is found even after reasonable efforts and the benefits of the vaccination is proven medically and confirmed by an expert Muslim doctor.

-Mufti Faisal Abu Hajira 

*Implications of the above fatwas for Muslim doctors*:

A Muslim doctor (or pharmacist) should know whether the medication he or she is giving to a Muslim patient contains any haraam ingredients or is derived from non-zabiha or haraam animal sources (with out having undergone total chemical transformation). They also should try to find out if any reasonable halal alternative is available for such medicines.

And regarding those haraam medicines for which no reasonable halal alternative is available, Muslim doctors, pharmacists, patients and Muslim community as a whole should demand from the pharmaceutical companies to come up with suitable halal alternatives. When there is a demand there will be supply! If we accept haraam medicines silently, we will never get halal alternatives in the market.

A few years back there was no mainstream company in halal food market. After continuous efforts were made by Muslim consumers and organizations in demanding halal food, many multinational companies are now offering halal certified food and global halal market is one of the fastest growing segments of the food industry.