You should avoid taking expired medication because it may become toxic, contain bacteria, or be less effective.
A drug’s expiration date is the manufacturer’s guarantee of how long the drug is safe to use when stored correctly.
Studies have found that most drugs are safe to use for 2 or 3 years and may still be effective after their expiration date. But there is limited data available on the stability of drugs past their expiration date, and taking them may lead to unknown risks and complications.
Learn more about the possible risks of taking expired medication, when to seek medical support if you accidentally take some, and how to properly dispose of expired medication.
May be less effective
All medications break down over time, and this process can lead to a change in their chemical makeup. This means drugs that are past their expiration date
If you need to take medication for a serious health condition, taking expired medication may put you at risk of complications and worsening symptoms.
As a result of the physical breakdown of a drug, you might not receive the correct dosage, meaning that the medication’s effectiveness will be reduced even further.
May become contaminated
Some medications
This includes medications in liquid forms, such as cough syrup and eye drops.
Consuming contaminated medication
May cause unpredictable side effects
Some medications may become toxic and harmful to your health if taken past their expiration date. Consuming expired medication can increase the risk of a serious infection or worsen symptoms of a health condition you may be experiencing.
Because there is limited data available on the stability of drugs past their expiration date, the side effects are typically unknown. It’s possible that consuming expired medication could lead to serious illness.
If you realize you’ve taken expired medication, you should stop taking it immediately and talk with a doctor. If you take medication for a specific health condition, a doctor can advise you on your next steps, such as when you should take another dose.
If you experience any concerning side effects, such as an allergic reaction, or if your symptoms become worse, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Health authorities typically recommend disposing of expired medication to prevent anyone from taking it by accident. Before disposing of medication, you should remove any personal information that may be on the packaging, such as your name, address, or prescription number.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the following
Drop it off at a collection site
There are many permanent collection sites authorized by the U.S. government to collect expired, unused, or unwanted medication. These are also known as drop-off sites.
You can search for your nearest collection site here.
Flush it
If you cannot get to a collection site, you can flush some medications down the sink or toilet, particularly if they may be harmful to others.
To identify whether your medication can be flushed, check the information leaflet that came with the drug or check the
Discard it in household trash
If you cannot get to a drop-off location, you may be able to throw your medication into your household trash. But you should not throw away any medication that is on the FDA flush list.
Before disposing of medication in the trash, make sure it cannot be consumed, such as by dissolving any pills and placing it in a sealed container like a zip-top bag.
You should never take medications that are used to treat serious health conditions after their expiration dates, such as insulin, anticoagulants, and EpiPens.
Expired drugs typically will not become toxic. But those that are in liquid forms, such as cough syrup and eye drops, may be more likely to become contaminated and can be harmful to your health if consumed.
Drug expiration dates tell you how long a drug is safe to use when stored correctly. Taking medication past this date may be harmful, as it may become toxic, contain bacteria, or be less effective.
If you need to take medication for a serious health condition, taking expired medication may put you at risk of complications and worsening symptoms.
To ensure drug effectiveness and safety, it’s important to always follow manufacturers’ guidelines for taking and storing medications.