Expiry dates

[Jewelbox]

I got pills on prescription from Clicks Pharmacy yesterday, and only afterwards noticed that the expiry date on the bottle was Sept. 2008.

Should products after their expiry date has lapsed, not be discarded by the pharmacy instead of being sold?

Will you use such medication or return it to the pharmacy?

[stoke]

Return it to the pharmacy.

From : http://www.realsimple.co.za/aspx/Sit...?pid=4&cid=634

Expired medication should be returned to suppliers instead. Pharmacies, including the big chains, take back expired medicine, which are in turn collected by medical-waste companies who dispose of them in a responsible manner, usually by burning. Your local hospital or clinic is linked to the same disposal system. An incinerator burns at an extremely high temperature to be able to eliminate the toxic fumes, so don’t consider doing it at home.

Now, keep an eye out for more "Expired Pharmaceuticals" from that pharmacy. There is a problem with some pharmacies buying expired goods for a song and flogging it off onto unsuspecting customers. Don't accuse them of that, just keep an eye out.

[alisiaoh]

i'd return it

[CathJ]

Definitely return it! It will most likely be fine, but could be less effective (or less likely, have bad side effects). But just from a consumer point of view, I'd return it - I'm not paying full price on something that expired six months ago!

[JK8]

Medication truly expires 3 years after the marked dates... But just to make sure they put those dates. I agree return it, just to be safe.

[gregmcc]

+1 definitely return!

[krycor]

Medication truly expires 3 years after the marked dates... But just to make sure they put those dates. I agree return it, just to be safe.

Depends on the type of medication... my dad usually says some are ok and we use some expired ones(not hectically and not often tho). Also what do people usually do with medication they have accumulated currently gathering dust?

[CathJ]

Also what do people usually do with medication they have accumulated currently gathering dust?

Apparently you're supposed to take it to a pharmacy so that they can dispose of it. You can't throw it away in case kids find it and think it's sweeties; and you can't throw it down the sink or flush it down the toilet because then you're contaminating the municipal water system.

[JK8]

Depends on the type of medication... my dad usually says some are ok and we use some expired ones(not hectically and not often tho). Also what do people usually do with medication they have accumulated currently gathering dust?

Its not confirmed but Ive heard of old medication filtering through to other pharmacists, they know they expired meds arent deadly so they change the dates. Some goes to relief workers and state hospitals in rural areas etc.

Couple years ago a Pharmacist in PTA was caught selling "old" drugs not sure if you remember.

[Waaib]

I'd return it.

My doctor told me that she studied this as part of her degree. She said on average a medicines efficacy will decrease by 10% per year after expiry (referring to pills and capsules).

[Jewelbox]

According to Clicks Pharmacy, they discard medication after the expiry date has lapsed, and do not sell it! When asked why they sold me tablets which expired in Sept. 2008, they just replied that it was a "small" mistake, and that I should return it for replacement.

[The_Pumpkin_King]

i say take it and report back to us about the effects

[Jewelbox]

Makes me wonder about tablets which they put in their own containers? Maybe also old stuff? And they never include the pamphlet either.

[Vinia]

^^ I always wondered why all the Clicks branded things are cheaper! lol

Clicks are super sneaky. Have you noticed in the past few months since they revamped most of the stores, they have many new Clicks branded products? Things like the vitamins, bio oil (Clicks calls it tissue oil), lotions etc. They place it next to the name brand stuff so you see it nicely, and their prices are always R1 - R5 cheaper.

[krycor]

Its not confirmed but Ive heard of old medication filtering through to other pharmacists, they know they expired meds arent deadly so they change the dates. Some goes to relief workers and state hospitals in rural areas etc.

Couple years ago a Pharmacist in PTA was caught selling "old" drugs not sure if you remember.

my dad doesn't sell it, he gives it to us at home he is a dispensing doc, i think the med companies come pic up some old stuff and he has a separate med + other med goodies disposal/refuse collection. Note i didn't say all meds, certain ones.. i won;t venture a guess which ones are safe to keep and for how long tho.