It happens to most of us when we look for a medicine and you find that it’s expired years ago. Headache is a prevalent issue that strikes almost everyone so many people keep the painkillers at their homes. When you are looking for the same painkiller you see that it has reached its expiration date.
In this situation, various questions start dancing in your head such as Can I take this medicine after its expiration date? what is the best way to store the medications? What should I do with the expired medicines? Which medications should not be used after their expiration dates? These questions are even more important when the medications are expensive and unused.
In this blog, we will throw light on the Acyclovir expiration date and whether can you use medicines including Acyclovir after their expiry date.
What is The Meaning of Drug Expiration Dates Exist on Medication Labels?
The expiration date is the last date that guarantees the full safety and potency of a medication according to the manufacturer. You can find the expiry date of both prescription and non-prescription medications on the most medication labels.
As per the law, US pharmaceutical manufacturers must place expiration dates on prescription products before marketing. Manufacturers do not make recommendations concerning the stability of drugs after the original expiration date because of legal and liability reasons.
However, the expiration date for many medications is just a random date that the manufacturer chooses to test drug stability. After production, once the bottle of medicine is opened that expiry date is no longer guaranteed.
How The Drug Expiration Dates are Determined?
The expiration date of a medication is evaluated using stability testing under proper manufacturing practices as determined by the FDA. Typically the drugs marked in the US have an expiration date that extends from 12 to 60 months from the time of manufacturer.
Once the patient or healthcare provider opens the original container of the drug, that original expiration date on the container can no longer be depended on. However, as per the stability studies the actual shelf life of the drug can be much longer.
According to the drug manufacturers, drug stability can not be guaranteed after the original bottle is opened and humidity, heat, light and other storage factors may affect the drug stability. Both retail and hospital pharmacies, nursing homes and patients toss away a huge amount of medications every year because of stamped expiration dates on the medicine bottles.
Does Expired Drugs Lose Their Potency?
The most prevalent evidence that suggests that most medications can even last after their expiration date is collected from the SLEP (Shelf Life Extension Program). The program was commenced by the FDA for the Department of Defense to test large and expensive stockpile medications including prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Military faced tossing out and replacing its stockpile of drugs every few years.
The original purpose for which SLEP was commenced was to conclude the actual shelf life of stockpiled military medications for future use and to save huge amounts of government money. In the SLEP more than 3000 lots including 122 various drug products were assessed depending on their physical appearance, dissolution, potency, water content, pH and presence of impurities.
Depending on the stability data on 88% of the lots, the expiration dates were extended for an average of 66 months beyond their original expiry date. around 12% more lots considered stable for at least 4 years after the expiry date. Only 18% of these drugs were terminated because of the failure.
Biologics were not included in this program. Some common medicines that were tested in this program without failures include Diphenhydramine, Ciprofloxacin, Amoxicillin and Morphine Sulfate Injection. Drug expiration extension periods on these medicines ranged between 12 months to 184 months.
Potassium iodide that was stockpiled in the US for radiation emergency has demonstrated no substantial degradation over 20 years during the SLEP study. In 2020, the FDA stated that drug expiration dates could be extended for certain stockpiled influenza antivirals including Tamiflu 75 mg capsules and Relenza when stored under favourable conditions. Expiration dates could be extended for up to 15 years for Tamiflu and 10 years for Relenza.
These results show that certain medicines may have extended shelf life after their labeled expiration date. However, healthcare providers and patients are not able to find which drug product could have an extended shelf life.
The ability of a medicine to have an extended shelf life depends on drug ingredients, existing preservatives, light, temperature fluctuations, humidity and other storage conditions. Moreover, the medicines tested during the SLEP study were stored in their original packaging. Once a medication is repacked into another container as usually happens in pharmacies, the shelf life can decline due to environmental fluctuations.
Antiviral Drug Acyclovir
Acyclovir is a prescription drug and it comes in the form of tablets, capsules, buccal tablets and suspension. It is also available in the form of pintment and crea, for topical use. Acyclovir is an antiviral drug used for treating cold sore of mouth and other herpes simplex virus infections, shingles and chickenpox.
Acyclovir works by restricting the growth and spread of the virus. Acyclovir is not the complete cure for herpes virus infections as it does not kill the virus. It helps ease the symptoms and reduce the blisters and pain associated with the herpes simplex virus infection. Acyclovir boosts the healing process and decreases the severity.
Uses of Acyclovir Medication
The most common uses of Acyclovir include the treatment of cold sores, genital herpes treatment, treatment of shingles and chickenpox. Acyclovir is prescribed for protection against genital herpes and cold sores in patients who had these infections earlier. Acyclovir is also used to treat infections caused by herpes simplex virus in patients with a weak immune system.
Does Acyclovir Expire?
Like any other medication, Acyclovir also expires. You can find the expiration date of Acyclovir on the package. Till the expiration date manufacturer guarantees full potency of Acyclovir. Right from the day of manufacturing, the potency of Acyclovir begins to decrease.
Medications holding their efficiency post-expiry date depends on various factors such as manufacturing, packaging and storage. Always remember that taking Acyclovir after the expiry date is not safe, it can be toxic.
What Happens If You Use Acyclovir After Its Expiration Date?
When Acyclovir reaches its expiration date, its efficiency may decrease gradually. It means that Acyclovir may not be able to give the desired effect or may take more time to attain the desired effect when you use it after its expiry date.
Using certain medications including Acyclovir after their expiration date may or may not be harmful however, their potency and dependability become indeterminate. Using expired Acyclovir will be less effective in easing the symptoms and reducing the frequency of herpes outbreaks. It will make the patient experience extended discomfort and need higher doses or alternative treatment options to fight the infection.
The use of any expired medicine including Acyclovir is not recommended because of their uncertain efficiency and potential risks associated.
Does Acyclovir Loses Its Potency After Expiration Date
The potency of Acyclovir decreases after it reaches its expiration date however the rate at which it happens can vary. Certain factors including formulation, storage conditions and original concentration of the active ingredient contribute to the rate of potency loss.
Research has demonstrated that some medications including Acyclovir and Valcayclovir may retain a considerable amount of their initial potency after the date of expiration. It should be noted that individual variations can happen and the potency and efficiency of Acyclovir after the expiry date can not be guaranteed.
Risks Associated With The Use of Expired Acyclovir
Using expired Acyclovir can result in inadequate or inefficient treatment of herpes infections. It can lead to increased discomfort, prolonged symptoms a greater risk of transmission of infection to others.
Moreover, expired Acyclovir may not be able to offer the desired antiviral effects that can complicate herpes outbreak management and can increase the dependence on higher doses and alternative treatments.
Is It Safe To Use Expired Medications?
The USFDA never recommends to use of drugs after their expiration date as it can be risky. How you have stored the drug, how it was stored before it reached you, the original manufacturing date of the drug and the chemical makeup of the medication are all factors that impact the potency of a medicine.
Solid forms of drugs such as capsules and tablets seem to be most stable after expiry. Liquid medicines or reconstituted suspensions and the drugs requiring refrigeration (amoxicillin suspension may not possess the needed potency after expiry. Expired medication after the loss of potency can be a major health concern, particularly for treating an infection with an antibiotic drug. Moreover, antibiotic resistance may happen with sub-potent medications.
Medicines in solution form especially injectable drugs should be discarded if they look discolored or cloudy or form a precipitate. Other liquid forms of drugs such as ear or eye solutions, topical solutions or oral liquids may undergo evaporation of solvents when stored for a longer time. Expired drugs containing preservatives including ophthalmic drops are considered unsafe drugs past the expiration date because outdated preservatives allow bacterial growth in such solutions.
How to Store Medicines Properly for Extended Shelf Life?
Storing your medications properly can help extend their shelf life. Do not store your medicines in the bathroom and medicine cabinet to protect them from heat and humidity. Storing your medications in freezing weather, hot car or glovebox is also not a good idea.
Most solid, oral drugs stay stable in cool and dry places away from the light. Make sure you always close the prescription bottle caps tightly and keep all medications away from pets and children. follow the proper storage instructions mentioned on the drug package.
Closing Words
Should you use medicines including Acyclovir past expiration or not? Always using medicines that are not expired is the best way to treat your condition and avoid any complications. Always keep track of the expiration date of your medicines and do not stockpile expensive medicines at home.
Certain expired drugs may pose serious issues if you use them after the expiry date. These drugs include biological products, insulin, eye drops, refrigerated liquid or solid medicine, Injectable medicine, and specially compounded medicines. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the expired drugs. Always use unexpired medicines and discard the expired ones safely.
