What are the likely things that can happen if a drug that already passed its “best before” date is used?
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What are the likely things that can happen if a drug that already passed its “best before” date is used?
The expiry dates on medicines usually only mean the date up to which they have the maximum efficacy, and after which their efficacy starts failing. The expiration date represent how long the contents of the product is guaranteed to have the same efficacy and be as safe as a new product. Many drugs, especially in solid dosage forms will continue to be safe and effective well beyond this date. That being said, most drugs will lose potency over and some active ingredients will convert to less effective and sometimes more toxic metabolites.
There is no evidence to show that medicines become poisonous after their expiry date. What happens is that they may lose their efficacy and might degrade. Drugs that have lost their potency could be dangerous in some specific situations for example anti allergy medications if taken beyond their expiry date and are therefore ineffective, might put the life of the patient at risk because the allergic reaction will not be controlled. In anaphylaxis this could mean the difference between life and death. Or a bronchodilator as is given to asthmatics during an attack…imagine what happens if what is injected is a drug beyond its expiry date and is not effective and does nothing to relieve the bronchospasm of the asthmatic attack!! So that is the kind of harm we are talking about. Not that the drug itself will transform into a harmful compound.