Drug Expiration Dates

[ncmedic309]

When do you discard your expired medications? There are some medications on the market that make it very simple; they give the month, day and year of expiration. However, most medications do not, they only list the month and year as the expiration date.

So, if the expiration on the drug is noted to be 01/09 (January 2009) do you discard the drug on the first day of the month or do keep the drug throughout the month and discard on the last day of the month?

I’m getting different answers from different people on “how they do it” but I’m having trouble finding factual information which clearly defines the true expiration date. Is there such a thing or is it left up to the individual service to define this date and procedure for discarding?

Any input?

[reaper]

I think that is up to the manufacturer.

We run a different way.

Narcs and refrigerated drugs have a month/day/year expiration on them.

All other meds are pulled off the truck 3 months prior to expiration. This way you do not miss one on the truck.

Most other systems I have worked go by the first day of the expiration month!

[spenac]

It expires at the end of the last day of the month listed if no date included. So 1/09 drugs are no good at 0000 of 2/09.

[crotchitymedic1986]

Most drugs are good up to 30 days after the expiration date; the problem is with our heat and cold extremes in an ambulance, I wouldnt use them past the expiration date.

The reason you get different answers is because of $$$$. In some parts of the country, if you fill/order drugs from the hospital, you can swap them in before they expire for a new one at no charge (hospital gets credit from pharm. company). But if you are private or government and are ordering drugs from the internet or a private pharmacy, you have to eat the cost of those wasted drugs (which can be expensive -- I think one 6mg Adenisone is like $36.00, and of course Amiodarone is around $200-250). So those who trade with hospitals want to get them off the truck early, those who dont trade with hospitals want to keep the drugs on there until the very last day.

[spenac]

To be safe call you state health department and make sure how they enforce expiration dates.

In Texas if you have it on the ambulance the day after it expires you are fined.

[akroeze]

Most drugs are good up to 30 days after the expiration date; the problem is with our heat and cold extremes in an ambulance, I wouldnt use them past the expiration date.

Most drugs are good way beyond the expiry date. In fact, many drugs have no scientifically determined expiry and the dates listed are arbitrary.

[Christopher.Collins]

Though Ive been with a number of different organizations most around here go to the end of the month. Frankly I would go by the first of the month but thats just my cautious side.

While Im no pharmiscist or chemist I would be willing to guess that expiration dates printed on most any product (not just including narcs) arnt close to an actual time. Ive drank milk thats a few weeks old... and a local mom and pops grocery store sells meat dirt cheap when its only days before it has to be disposed of. None of it is rancid, but state law requires it to be disposed of if not sold.

I guess what Im saying is I treat expiration dates more so as a best if used by than this product will quite litterally be unusable at this specific date and time. I dont recomend treating any narcs as such, Im just saying more than likley they arnt actually going to be bad imediatley after the marked date.

[spenac]

Most drugs are good way beyond the expiry date. In fact, many drugs have no scientifically determined expiry and the dates listed are arbitrary.

For personal use yes but expired drugs administered or stored in an ambulance a big no no.

[akroeze]

For personal use yes but expired drugs administered or stored in an ambulance a big no no.

I know, doesn't make it any less bogus.

I'd take a Tylenol that is 3 years expired no problem as it hasn't actually expired. They've done studies of samples of MSO4 from way way back (like old medic kits and stuff from WWII) and found them to be just as good as the day they were made.

[spenac]

I know, doesn't make it any less bogus.

I'd take a Tylenol that is 3 years expired no problem as it hasn't actually expired. They've done studies of samples of MSO4 from way way back (like old medic kits and stuff from WWII) and found them to be just as good as the day they were made.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5...efit.html?cat=5