*5.1.2 Wafers*

Wafers are paper-thin polymer sheets that are used to transport pharmaceuticals. The novel dosage form is taken orally and does not need the use of water or swallowing. The wafer dissolves fast in the mouth, allowing the active substance to be taken into the bloodstream through the oral mucosa. The active component escapes the liver's first-pass action once absorbed by the oral mucosa, improving bioavailability. Based on the chosen wafer type, the active substance delivery may also be delayed. In this situation, it is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract after ingestion [47].

Wafers that have been lyophilized and positioned on the patient's tongue grip saliva fast and dissolve within seconds, releasing the medication. Developing a dose form that improves patient confidence and acquiescence, principally intended for oral/buccal drug delivery systems, is becoming increasingly difficult. Buccal wafers are preferred over other dosage forms because of their small dimensions, low dose, and thickness. For paediatric and geriatric patients, the lyophilized oral wafer medication delivery method offers a substitute for tablets, capsules, and liquid oral dosage forms. When compared to alternative dose forms, lyophilized wafers have a bigger surface area, ensuring improved patient compliance, particularly in geriatrics and paediatrics. A good buccal wafer ought to be flexible, elastic, and easy-going, as well as have good bioadhesive characteristics to stay in the mouth cavity for the specified amount of time [48].
