Sell by dates on ampoules

[sueeaton]

Following the posts discussing the possibility of the supply of ampoules I see that concern is being expressed regarding sell by dates.

What happens to the liquid if it is past its sell by date? Does it become less effective or actually harmful?

I have a store and so will check the sell by dates but think I need to understand why or what the issue is. Sell by dates on food are often very exaggerated!

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi sueeaton all I know is that the nurses who give my injections record the batch number and date of expiry and have in the past refused to inject "out of date" vials. It may just be that's what they are told to do.

At present I am having difficulty sourcing my cyanocobamalin that goes beyond 11/19.

Could you ask your supplier or pharmacist for advice?

I wish you well

[natcap1 in reply to clivealive]

Hi Clive,

Where are you trying to source the Cyano? This has been suggested to me: versandapo.de/vitamin-b12-i...

I’m sure that would have a longer date stamp. Or are you trying to get this in the UK?

[clivealive Forum Support in reply to natcap1]

Hi natcap1 I've been "supplied" for the past 47 years with cyanocobamiln by the NHS who earlier this year decided to make it "non-prescribable".

However my GP has somehow sidestepped that ruling and still issues prescriptions so it's down to my pharmacy to get them with a later date than the four I have left which "expire" in November. So on a three week interval between injections I have enough until then.

Fingers crossed - which makes typing difficult

[fbirder]

Hydroxocobalamin is pretty stable if stored in the dark and at the right pH. I can't imagine anything nasty that it could go off to.

I've just ordered 120 ampoules and I have another 120 at home. At two a week that's enough to take me to March 2022. I'll be using stuff that is about 6 months past its expiry date by then, and it won't worry me.

When I worked as a chemist we had to put a two-year expiry date on everything - including sand! I've developed a healthy scepticism of them since. The expiry dates on drugs will be set extremely conservatively. It's mainly an arse-covering exercise.

[sueeaton in reply to fbirder]

Thanks to both you and Clive for your replies.

I shall continue to use my "stash" as my personal view is that the sell by dates are set to suit people other than the actual user.