They aren’t meant to be suggestions. Expiration dates on medications matter. They’re clearly marked. Drugs, like food, have a shelf life.
Sterling Elliott is a clinical pharmacist with Northwestern Medicine.
“Those expiration dates are put there because the manufacturer knows that’s the point in time where after that, the potency of the drug can be reduced. It may not work as well for you,” Elliot said.
Expiration dates vary depending on the form — pills, capsules and liquids stay stable for different lengths of time. The danger comes when drugs lose their potency.
“If you are not feeling well, some nausea and vomiting, maybe some dizziness, or you notice, for instance, if you took expired blood pressure medication and you check your blood pressure at home, you might notice that your blood pressure is rising a little more than it was,” Elliot said. “It has the risk of worsening the condition that you are trying to treat.”
The dates also apply to common over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers and cold medicines — even herbal supplements. Where and how you store a drug also factors in.
“That’s a situation where the light can cause the active drug to break down or the drug is stable when it’s refrigerated, but if you are at room temp you lose that stability,” he said.
When it’s time to dispose of a medication, don’t flush it. The chemicals will end up in the water supply. Instead, look for drug take-back programs or disposal kiosks like this one provided by the DEA.
“You put it in the kiosk, and that’s a secure way to dispose of it, and then those items are removed, and they are eventually burned in a control environment, so it’s not released in the air,” he said.
At-home options include charcoal kits that deactivate critical ingredients: just add water and toss it in the trash.
“In the case if it’s an opioid, there’s the potential for misuse and addiction and it’s probably not the Norco you thought it was,” he said.
Drug disposal boxes can be found at pharmacies, fire stations, hospitals and municipal buildings. If you’d like to locate one in your area, you can visit https://safe.pharmacy/drug-disposal