Is It Safe to Take Expired Drugs?

Although it’s a matter of discussion why expired drugs are not safe, expiration date plays an important role for the same. There are a few important questions that you can ask your doctor regarding the drug expiration date. In recent days, medicines cost much higher. When a patient is able to find out a bottle of medicine he pulls out from the shelf has expired a year ago, he’s left with many choices. It’s not possible to replace medications frequently. Simply because medicines are expensive. When you’re a pharmacist, it’s your first and foremost task to separate expired drugs from the rest. A medication dispensing system can help you detect expired drugs before they come into the hands of patients.

expired drug

When it comes to medications, expiration dates play the most pivotal role. An expiration date refers to the final day a manufacturer guarantees you for the full capacity and safety of a medication. Almost every medication label includes a drug expiration date, but there are exceptions too.

No manufacturer will make any recommendation regarding the safety and potency of a medication post the expiration date. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), good manufacturing practices will determine the expiration date of a drug. Drug products in the US typically have an expiration date from 12 to 60 months.

When you’re taking medication from the pharmacy, you should get to know about a particular expiry date. It tells you not to use the medication after one year from the date of filling. These types of dates are typically considered as “beyond-use” dates. A pharmacy with an updated medication dispensing system can help you detect medications before they expire.

Expired Medications & Their Potency

The reason why there is an expiration date at the very label of every medication is – it loses its potency after a particular time. The Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) allows some drugs to last a long time (even if they pass its expiration date).

According to a study, reported in The Medical Letter, 2015, there are some medications that are still potent even after their expiration date is over. But it's often difficult for both the patients and the healthcare provider to know which medications have an extended shelf life.

PD-RX pharmaceuticals is specially known for in-office physician dispensing. Patients will be able to access to medications directly which is highly cost-effective. We're the very best in terms of Oklahoma dispensing physicians. Contact us for more information.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.