DRUG EXPIRY DATE; WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU.

Introduction;

The question of whether a drug can be used after its expiry date is one of the most frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) by patients in most health institutions. The very short answer to that question is NO. Why would one wish to take something that is said to have expired?  The term “expired” means something that has come to its end. You hear popular expressions like expired drivers license, passport, or food: all these, signifies replacement, or there may be consequences. The same concept, applies to the use of expired medications. Why make use of something that has come to an end?

What is the shelf life or the expiry date of a drug?

The shelf life or expiry date of a drug is the length of time it has been demonstrated to stay effective and safe when packed in its original containers and stored under defined conditions. The defined conditions, is usually away from high relative humidity and high environmental temperatures. The ideal storage condition is usually the room temperature (about 25 degrees census)

Do most drugs in Nigeria meet these storage conditions?

The simple answer to that question is NO.  Although a lot of pharmacies and drug stores are trying very hard to meet up with these standards, others are still way behind and drugs in such environment are exposed to increased temperature and relative humidity. What this means is that a lot of drugs actually do expire before their real expiration date. Next time you want to buy your drugs, check the condition of that pharmacy you are getting the drug from.

What happens when a drug is expired?

This is very important because beyond that date, two most important things happen: The first is the patient taking the sub-therapeutic dose of the drug i.e. a lower quantity of the active pharmaceutical ingredients as stated on the label. This usually happens with the antibiotics. The second point is the patient, taking the toxic by-products (metabolites) from the drugs, which are toxic substances produced by the drugs after the expiration of its shelf life. It may also result in an increased risk of microbial contamination from drugs containing preservatives such as eye drops, syrups, emulsions etc.

How is the expiry date determined?

Once a drug is developed, manufacturers determine the length of time a drug will last without deteriorating: this is known as the drug’s shelf life. It is determined from what is known as drug stability testing. If a drug is used within its shelf life, maximum efficacy and safety of the drug, is expected.  Efficacy is an important factor to consider, because it reflect the ability of the drug, to produce its desired effects, hence the higher the efficacy, the better the result.

Conclusion:

Just as you will not use an expired passport to travel, or an expired driver’s license, there is no need for you, to use an expired

Good write up. Actually came across this article while surfing the net for some of these facts