If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned out your medicine cabinet, there may be some things that are past their expiry date.
What does it mean when medication expires? We talked to Megan Albinati, Pharmacy Manager at New Horizon Co-op in Grande Prairie, Alta. and got the details.
How are expiry dates determined?
Because the physical and chemical properties of medications are vulnerable to changes over time, they must undergo stability testing under controlled conditions by the manufacturer before becoming available to consumers.
“This unique stability data is collected for both over-the-counter and prescription medications and is used to determine the expiry date of each medication to ensure they will be safe and effective if used prior to that date,” explained Albinati.
Federal legislation requires expiration dates to be:
i) the date up to and including which the drug maintains its labelled potency, purity and physical characteristics, and
ii) the date the manufacturer recommends that the drug not be used
Albiniti told us that the expiration date must specify, at minimum, a month and year. If a medication expiry is stated as MM/YY, by default the expiration date is the last day of the stated month.
Is it safe to take an expired medication and what are some potential risks associated with taking a medication beyond the expiry date?
Beyond the labelled expiry date, a medication may be unsafe to use, and it may not be as effective as it once was. Certain medications have higher stakes.
- Insulin can only be used for 28 to 56 days (product-specific) after being at room temperature because it degrades and will be less effective once expired.
- Oral nitroglycerin tablets, a potentially life-saving medication used for chest pain associated with heart disease, lose potency more rapidly after the bottle is opened.
- Very rarely, a medication may produce a toxic metabolite after expiration.
Albinati recommends that you always speak to your pharmacist about what to do if you encounter an expired medication.
Why doesn’t my prescription medication have an expiry date on the vial that my pharmacy dispenses to me?
Your pharmacy team will only dispense a medication to you if it will not expire prior to you finishing it, assuming you are using the medication per the prescribed directions.
“This is one of several reasons it’s important to use the medication as directed or to get a new prescription with the updated directions even if the doctor has verbally told you to take it differently,” said Albinati.
What types of medications typically have short expiry dates?
- Compounded medications mixed at your local pharmacy or mixed off-site and shipped to your pharmacy
- Insulin: once out of the fridge, it can only be used for 28 to 56 days, depending on the product
- Other refrigerated medications such as eye drops, topical acne medications, vaccines or biologics
- Medications that your pharmacist must add water to prior to dispensing such as antibiotics for children
- Some creams expire within a certain amount of days after opening
Your pharmacist will include these points when counselling about the medication. If you are unsure, ask if there is anything you should know about the medication’s expiry.
Can I flush expired medication down the toilet?
It’s not recommended to flush medications down the toilet or drain. Most water filtering systems in our communities don’t have the capacity to remove these molecules from the water, which causes risk to aquatic life and the environment.
Bring your expired medications to your local pharmacy where they can be safely and appropriately disposed of. If you cannot access a disposal program, contact your pharmacist for advice.
Your Co-op pharmacist is here to answer any questions you have about expired medication!