Solving the Expiration Date Puzzle

Newspaper Columns, Pharmacy Q&A July 23, 2007

Q. I read your column about a person concerned about a prescription that was a couple of months past its use-by date. Whenever I receive a prescription from a pharmacy, I ask for the date on the bottle the medication was dispensed from so I can record that date on my prescription bottle and prescription documents. That way, I'm not constrained by the 1-year time frame most pharmacists put on the bottle.

I also save money because I'm not throwing away perfectly good medication and getting new prescriptions filled. I hope others find this helpful.

A. Thank you for the suggestion. If you make your request at the time you give in your prescription, the pharmacist can allow for the extra time it takes to note the manufacturer’s expiration date. In some states, pharmacists are legally required to display a one-year use-by date, but they are not forbidden to give you the additional information you request.

Reader Comments

I purchased nitro spray that had expired by the mfg label and the pharmacy placed a new expiration date on the container label of one year. What's up with that?

I refused to accept the nitro spray and later found out that the mfg has a five year expiration date. It would appear that I had been given a drug that had been on the shelf for over five years....

Posted by: James Reisinger | July 25, 2007 12:59 PM

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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

The People's Pharmacy® with Joe and Terry Graedon

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