Use of past-expiration meds - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Use of past-expiration meds

SeattleDan profile image
16 Replies

I’m just wondering what wisdom is out there about how much of a concern it might be to be using up a supply of expensive yet important meds (eg, Orgovyx) beyond their official expiration date. Just very slightly less potent or dangerously ineffective?

Oh, I now see that this has been discussed on the forum before. Considering alternating use of ‘fresh’ and ‘expired’.

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SeattleDan profile image
SeattleDan
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16 Replies
MoonRocket profile image
MoonRocket

Like most expiration dates, the product doesn't know it's time to expire however it all depends on what the product is manufactured from.... generally, pills can be consumed after the expiration date but I probably wouldn't go beyond 6 months IMHO.

swwags profile image
swwags

He might not be but I play one on TV. From Harvard the results of a study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date. So, the expiration date doesn't really indicate a point at which the medication is no longer effective or has become unsafe to use.

dixiedad profile image
dixiedad in reply to swwags

The expiration date is the date they want you to buy MORE!

😁

6357axbz profile image
6357axbz

I restarted abiraterone acetate after a longish medication holiday. Had bottles with expiration dates over a year old. They worked just fine.

cpl901 profile image
cpl901

15 years could be ok for some stable activ substances, but not all. Depends also from the storage. For the new active substance we dont really know it s just a projection that is done in the factory with different way s of storage and then compare the results. 6 month over the date is ok i think for any substance

cpl901 profile image
cpl901

Btw i m farmacist and chemist, i often ask this expire datas directly to the producer

SeattleDan profile image
SeattleDan

Thanks, all. Merry Christmas 🎄

MateoBeach profile image
MateoBeach

A study of oral non-liquid medications done years ago by the well respected "Medical Letter" concluded that all of them have full potency and are safe for one year post expiration dates.

GeoffNoLongerAS profile image
GeoffNoLongerAS

An interesting article on expiration dates. The answer seems to be dependent on the formulation. Anywhere from a day or two to 20 years. Solid (pill) forms seem to be the longest.

drugs.com/article/drug-expi...

Currumpaw profile image
Currumpaw in reply to GeoffNoLongerAS

Yes, pills almost always have a coating that seals and preserves the medication.

The pharmaceutical companies are required to do "stability tests" showing that time doesn't degrade the medication in the form it is taken by patients. The test's length is required by the FDA. It ends there. The FDA requirements have been met. More testing to determine how much longer before the product begins to lose potency or is possibly altered didn't happen in my experience.

Currumpaw

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

Okay...... but not all at once...... (if they're flavored put them on your ice cream cones)....

Please keep your environment clean... gather up all of your Christmas gift wrappings and place them in your neighbors garbage bin.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 12/25/2023 3:16 PM EST

anonymoose2 profile image
anonymoose2 in reply to j-o-h-n

I raised some potatoes and corn does that make me a farmacist?

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to anonymoose2

Depends on the size of your Pestle............

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 12/25/2023 8:13 PM EST

CAMPSOUPS profile image
CAMPSOUPS in reply to anonymoose2

Career farmers. You will always find them outstanding in their field.

cageycruz profile image
cageycruz

A study done at the request of the US military found 90% of drugs perfectly fine even 15 years after their expiration date. Liquid medications did worse than pills.

health.harvard.edu/staying-...

lowT163 profile image
lowT163

maybe with bread and chicken but not drugs that you don’t know if they work when new.

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