Is my expired drug still effective?

People are often confused when interpreting a medicine’s expiration date. Has it expired? When is the “actual” expiration date? How do I preserve my drugs to extend their use terms? Is there any medication that should never be used past its expiration date??

On this issue, there is conflicting information.

In practice, I’ve seen and heard multiple formulas and tactics used by individuals to determine when to continue taking an expired medication.? Many pharmacists have been trained to tell patients that the drug is still “active and safe”? for a few months after the expiration date,? especially when stuck with a short-dated item. Also, unlike a food item that will instinctively dis-arouse your nostrils supported by a bad taste, with medicines, you may not see ( taste or smell) any physical evidence for a long time.

So, when does my drug expire?

Indeed most medications retain at least 70% to 80% of their original potency for at least 1 to 2 years after the expiration date, even if the container has been opened. Although a medicine's efficacy may deteriorate with time, much of its original strength may be found years after its expiration date. They denote the last date on which a drug maker can ensure that the medicine is effective and safe to use, and this date is typically conservative.?

Now, it’s crucial that you tread lightly.? As long as it’s past the expiration date on the package container, it has expired.

?After giving you all the stats above, you may ask, why? Here is the thing,? you are typically not privy to the storage, and environmental conditions that these medicines have been subjected to, e.g., humidity, temperature & UV/sunlight, or mode of transportation and exposure to some gases. Even in the fanciest of Pharmacies, and in the best of environment, you still have to factor in human error, e.g., a Logistics company leaving out an eye drop that should be refrigerated, or a national issue like power outages in my dear beloved country Nigeria. This is just the reality of things.

Why gamble with the potency, efficacy,? toxicity, or lack thereof of your medicines, by using drugs that are past the expiration date? Also, 70% efficacy is not 100% and will not give you the intended result. I’m sure you’d rather be well than partially well.

What happens when my drugs expire?

When medications expire, they decompose into compounds potentially harmful to our bodies. The expiration date indicates when the medicine is no longer effective or safe, and the inherent potency past the expiration is a safety net and should be treated as such.?

You also need to look out for other signs of decomposition even before the expiration date, such as a change in color, smell, or taste, especially if not stored in an optimal condition.

How do I dispose of my expired drugs?

A recent study on the perception and disposal practices of unused and expired medicines by households in Nigeria shows that 53.4% and 71.2% of respondents respectively had good knowledge and positive attitudes to safe disposal of unused, damaged and expired medicines.?That is such great news! To emphasize, the safe disposal of expired leftover medication is key to safeguarding our environment.

First things first, before disposing of the medicines, it is essential to take out any confidential information such as your name, address, or phone number to prevent them from being compromised. We cannot stress enough the importance of this process.?

Back to the actual disposal for liquid medications; Add the unused or expired liquid to coffee beans, sawdust, or ground soil, and then dispose of them as regular trash.? The idea is that you want to make the liquid less appealing to animals or people and reduce access to it.

For the safe disposal of pills; mix the prescription with something inedible, like garden soil in a sealed container or bag and add a tiny amount of liquid to the container to help dissolve it, then use tape to fasten the lid and dispose of it, as you would, any regular trash.

Avoid flushing the medications down the toilet drain as it is an environmental hazard and may contaminate groundwater sources.?

Conclusion

In conclusion, do not try to gamble, calculate, or formulate your unique expiration date. Stick to what you see on the package, and in some cases, watch out for physical evidence of decomposition, even when it’s still in date and especially when not stored properly.

Check out this video below to understand how to read and interpret the expiration dates on your medicine bottle.!

Cheers!