Must one recite a Beracha before taking medication?
When dealing with foul-tasting medicines, or caplets or capsules that are swallowed whole, Halacha clearly does not require reciting a Beracha. In these situations, the individual receives no pleasure or enjoyment from ingesting the given substance, and hence no Beracha is warranted, neither before nor after the medication is ingested.
The question arises in situations of medicine that has a pleasant flavor, such as Nyquil or children's medications that are often flavored. Does the pleasant flavor require that one recite a Beracha before drinking the medication, or does the fact that he drinks it solely for medicinal purposes render a Beracha unnecessary?
The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (36) addresses the case of "Anigron," a drink consisting of olive oil and beet juice, and it asserts that if the beverage consists of more olive oil than beet juice, it requires the Beracha of "Bore Peri Ha'etz." The Gemara then raises the obvious question of why a person would drink a beverage consisting mainly of olive oil, and it responds that a person would drink such a mixture for the purpose of soothing a sore throat. It thus emerges clearly that even if a person ingests food strictly for medicinal purposes, nevertheless, if it is palatable he must recite a Beracha over the food.
Accordingly, the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 204:8) rules that one must recite a Beracha before ingesting medicine that has a pleasant flavor.
Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Hazon Ovadia, cites a work entitled "Orehotecha Lamedeni" as disputing this ruling, and arguing that one does not recite a Beracha over food ingested for purely medicinal purposes. The author of this work drew proof to his position from the ruling of the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204), in Hilchot Berachot (1:2), that one does not recite a Beracha before tasting food to determine its flavor. This ruling appears to demonstrate that whenever a person does not intend to eat the food, he does not recite a Beracha. The "Orehotecha Lamedeni" extends this principle to the case of medications, where the person's intent is not to eat the food. Hacham Ovadia, however, dismisses this argument, noting that a patient who requires medicine most certainly does intend to ingest the food. That his motivation is for health purposes rather than hunger or thirst does not change the fact that his intention is to ingest the given substance. Hence, this case is not at all comparable to the situation of one who merely seeks to determine the food's flavor, and who therefore does not recite a Beracha. In the case of medication, the individual certainly intends to eat or drink the medicine, and therefore a Beracha is required.
Rabbi Moshe Halevi (Israel, 1961-2001), in his work Birkat Hashem (vol. 2, 1:19; listen to audio for precise citation), concurs with this ruling, and adds that a Beracha is required even if the medication is not especially flavorful. He notes that although the Shulhan Aruch speaks of reciting a Beracha when ingesting medicine that has a "good taste," he does not refer only to tasty medications. So long as the medication is not bitter or otherwise foul-tasting, a Beracha is required.
As far as a Beracha Aharona (Beracha after eating) is concerned, it is very difficult to imagine a case where such a Beracha would be warranted. A person does not recite a Beracha Aharona after drinking unless he drinks a Revi'it, which is very unlikely to occur when dealing with medication.
Incidentally, it should be noted that when one takes medicine that has a pleasant taste, he must ensure that it is under reliable Kashrut supervision. As opposed to capsules, tablets and foul-tasting medications, to which certain leniencies apply, in the case of flavorful medications Kashrut supervision is required just as it is required for ordinary food.
If a person swallows a capsule or tablet and drinks something to help him swallow the pill, must he recite a Beracha over the beverage?
A basic Halachic principle states that drinking water requires a Beracha only if one drinks to quench his thirst (204:7). If a person drinks water for some other reason, such as to help swallow medication, he does not recite a Beracha over the water. Therefore, before swallowing a pill one must determine whether or not he is also thirsty. If he experiences some level of thirst, then he recites "She'hakol" before drinking the water; otherwise, he drinks the water without reciting a Beracha. If one drinks another beverage such as fruit juice to help him swallow the pill, then he recites a Beracha regardless of whether or not he experiences thirst.
Summary: One who swallows a pill or ingests a foul-tasting medication does not recite a Beracha; if one drinks medication that is not foul-tasting, he recites the Beracha of "She'hakol." If one swallows a pill and drinks water with it to help him swallow smoothly, he recites a Beracha only if he happens to feel thirsty, and the water thus serves to quench his thirst in addition to helping him swallow the pill. If a person drinks some other drink, such as fruit juice, to help him swallow the pill, then he recites "She'hakol" over the beverage regardless of whether or not he feels thirsty.
