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.
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.org.
© 2007 King Features Syndicate, Inc.