Having a drawer full of medications can be detrimental to your health if most of them are expired. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the expiration date to get rid of those that may be harmful.
According to the Comunidad Madrid site, the expiration of medications is a health measure that guarantees their safety, quality and effectiveness.
This date is the limit that ensures the physicochemical stability of the drug in the original container or container without opening or handling and, in addition, preserved in appropriate conditions.
During this period, the manufacturer claims that the drug will retain 100 percent of the active ingredient.
How to identify it?
Each manufacturer places the expiration date according to different formats and abbreviations. For example:
The expiration date should always be found on the product label and on the box. In some cases, the date may be indicated without any of the above abbreviations.
Due Date Formats
It can be noted in format 00/0000 where the first two figures indicate the month and the remaining four the year. It will be easy to identify them since they are separated by a forward slash or a hyphen like this: 00 – 0000.
In this case, the actual expiration date is the last day of the indicated month, that is, if the date indicates 06/2025, then the drug will remain effective until the last day of June 2025.
Another format is 0000 00 00where the first four figures indicate the year, the next two the month and the last two the day.
A different option is EXP000000. In this format the two figures followed by the word ‘EXP’ indicate the day, followed by two that indicate the month and the last two figures the year. Likewise, you can find the date in the following way EXP00/00/00.
On other occasions they show the date with month abbreviations, for example: 12 APR 2025 or APR 2025. Remember that in the second case the drug will expire until the last day of the indicated month, that is, April 30.
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Multidose medications
Medications legally have a maximum expiration limit of five years, although once the container that is in direct contact with the drug is opened or damaged, the expiration date is reduced.
In the case of multidose medications, those that are opened several times for administration, such as oral syrups or suspensions, usually have a shorter shelf life. This is because the stability of the medication can be altered.
So, The expiration date is invalidated and is described in the leaflet.which is the information that accompanies the medication which is directed to the consumer.
This includes the validity period considering the opening of the container.
In the case of eye drops, which are liquid formula medications for eyes or infections, if the expiration date does not appear, it is recommended that they be used for a maximum of four weeks once opened.
How to recognize spoiled medications?
In addition to the expiration date, the The physical state of the medication can also indicate degradation.
SciELO highlights that in solid drugs it must observe if there is a change in any of its original physical properties such as:
Changes in odor: indicates a state of decomposition or degradation.
Color change or appearance of spots: should be discarded immediately.
Fractionation or drying: If a tablet is pulverized it will no longer be useful.
Moistening: If it picks up moisture, the oral hydration salts that have turned into mass are no longer useful. This can occur in capsules when they stick together.
In addition, microbiological conditions or properties such as sterility and resistance to bacterial growth can also be affected.
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Why not consume expired medications?
According to the National Directorate of Medicines of El Salvador, its expired consumption alters the physical conditions of the products.
This happens because each active ingredient can vary its chemical integrity and its declared potency, so when the expiration date passes the chemical conditions of the product may no longer be suitable.
This gives rise to increased toxicity by the generation of toxic or reactive degradation products. In short, contamination by breaking the container or opening it increases the level of toxicity.
Even so, its consumption after the expiration date continues to be debated since, according to SciELO, studies indicate that some drugs could retain more than 50 percent of the active ingredient if stored and maintained in appropriate conditions.
However, further research and particular analysis is required in the previous point due to various limitations.
What to do with expired medications?
In Mexico, the National Waste Management System for Packaging and Medicines AC is responsible for collecting them in safe containers.
In On this page you can check the location of safe containers that exist in any state of the country.
Additionally, specific instructions for disposal may be described on the label of some drugs; if not, the FDA recommends the following disposal measures.
- Mix the medicines (without crushing tablets or capsules) with an unpleasant tasting substancesuch as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds.
- Place the mixture in a containersuch as a sealed plastic bag.
- Throw away the container in the trash can at home.
- Cross out all personal details of the prescription label on the empty medicine bottle or remove the packaging so that it is not legible, then discard the container.
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2024-06-20 09:04:59