Expired Medications
While it is possible for medications to last longer than their expiration dates, there are dangers associated with taking medications past FDA approved expiration dates. For treating chronic or life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, seizures, and COPD, it is important for medications to be absolutely 100% effective. The loss in potency will prevent one’s condition from being controlled, which can lead to problematic health outcomes.
If someone is having an asthma attack and the inhaler doesn’t work, it could have severe consequences. Must-toss medications after expiration date include inhalers, eye drops, blood thinners, and birth control. Medications such as nitroglycerin, insulin, antibiotics, and seizure medications, can be downright dangerous if taken expired. An antibiotic taken past its expiration date may not have complete potency to fight off an infection, leading to drug resistance and an even worse infection. A drug’s expiration date ensures optimum potency, after which it cannot be guaranteed.
When a medication has expired, it is imperative to dispose of it appropriately to prevent diversion and contamination. The safest method of disposal for prescription drugs is drug take-back programs, because they are organized and closely regulated by government agencies. Information on drug take-back programs near you can be found here. Many pharmacies also have medication disposal boxes for patients to safely dispose of unwanted and/or expired medications.
Home disposal is another option, if a take back program is not available. If a drug is solid, it must first be crushed or dissolved in water. Medications must be mixed in with coffee grounds or kitty litter to make it undesirable and prevent diversion. It must then be sealed in a container with a lid or in a sealable baggie, and then thrown into the trash. Medications should never be disposed of in the toilet or sink, unless instructed to do so on the label.
Another important reason to dispose of your medications properly is to avoid prescription drug abuse and to avoid accidental child poisoning. Child poisoning can also be avoided by storing your medication properly.
Recently the FDA announced that some Epipen products may be used past their expiration date due to supply shortages. Epipen is an emergency medication used to treat severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions, and the lack of access to Epipen can be devastating. Therefore in situations such as this as well as for the stockpiling of medications in preparation for a public health emergency, the FDA has created the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) in which expiration dates can be extended after select products undergo periodic stability testing conducted by FDA. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and publishes a list of specific medication batches with associated lot numbers for which stability testing has been done and assured medications are safe and effective up until the listed extended expiration date.
As seen above, the FDA publishes specific guidelines for the use of specific medications past their expiration date. Although according to stability testing studies, many medications are safe and effective past their listed expiration date, many medications are also not safe or effective past their listed expiration dates and you should not take or use medications past their expiration dates unless guidance has been issued by the FDA to do so. Even in such cases, it is important to speak with a healthcare provider before doing so.