What Happens Once Medicine Expires?

The way food and dairy expires within a certain amount of time, is the same way

medicine expires after x amount of time. Just like in food, the expiration date varies from

medication to medication. As most people know, once food has expired you should not eat it

and should dispose of it. The same goes for medicine. But I wondered what happens to the

medication itself once it expires. Would it be similar to milk going spoiled or bread going bad

where there is a physical change to the food. Or if it would be closer to spices expiring where

there is not as strong of a taste to the food it adds. Also if there would be damage to the person

ingesting the medicine if it had already gone bad.

The expiration date on medications is there for a reason from the FDA to indicate if the

medication is still safe to ingest and will work as intended. Once the expiration date has passed

on medicine, there will be a loss of effectiveness as well as a change in the chemical

composition of the prescription. Since 1979, the manufacturers of any drug are required to post

a date on their medications. There are mainly negative connotations that go along with taking

expired medications. In 1985, there was an experiment done by the military conducted by the

Food and Drug Administration. There were over 100 drugs involved in this experiment that were

both prescription and over-the-counter. The stockpile of expired medications had a net worth of

over a billion dollars. These drugs were used in the military as remedies to chemical poisoning

and as antibiotics for malaria, which was overseen by the FDA. Some of the drugs that were in

the liquid state as well as aspirin and insulin had signs of physical decay. Certain expired

medications can cause bacterial growth. The expired medicine allows for a high risk of

contamination and infection. In more serious cases ingesting expired medicine can cause

serious illness and antibiotic resistance. There are a few medications that can become very

toxic once their expiration date passes. In other cases such as over-the-counter medications

that aid in the healing of minor headaches or allergies, can be taken a few months past

expiration. There are some cases where the FDA allows for ingestion of expired medicine if

there is evidence of positive/neutral outcomes. The FDA typically does this if there is a shortage

of the medication. For something that everyone lived through. COVID-19 vaccines as well as

the at-home test, were allowed to have extended shelf life because of the over demand and low

supply.

If there is ever a doubt on whether or not you should take the expired medication, asking

your doctor or pharmacist is the best idea. Medications function best prior to their expiration

dates. The ability to take medicine past the expiration date varies from medication to

medication. When in doubt, safely dispose of the medication via the FDA drug disposal site that

provides specific instructions based on the medication. It also provides locations for disposal.

Molly McGonagle (5)

Reissig, James. “Expired Medications: Dangerous or Just Less Effective?” University

Hospitals, University Hospitals, 23 Aug. 2023,

www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2023/08/expired-medications-dangerous-or-just-less-

effective#:~:text=%E2%80%9CVery%20few%20medications%20become%20toxic,can%20have

%20serious%20health%20consequences.