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Original poster

What is an acceptable expiry date for prescription medicine?

10 replies

SallySailor · 29/07/2022 19:38

I have just noticed that three of the medicines I have collected from our local pharmacy this week have very short expiry dates. My dd's pill pack expires in November that's ok I think as it is a medicine that is taken every day and she'll have finished the pack by then, but the other two are for occasional use. One for me expires in January but my last pack lasted a year (and had a 2024 expiry date) and one for my daughter expires in December, again this could potentially last her a year and the old that pack she's just finishing has a longer date on it.
What is acceptable? Is there some kind of official rule for this at all?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 29/07/2022 19:41

Just order more before they expire surely?

ds has an emergency medication for injection sometimes it has 3 months life span others 9 months - I just make a note of when I need to order more.

Ilikewinter · 29/07/2022 19:44

Not sure if pharmacies have their own rules but where I worked it was 3 months, unless the course of medication was longer than that.....ie 6 months of the pill would be given 2 boxes of 3 months so the expiry date on 1 of the boxes would have to be in 6 months time.

Original poster
SallySailor · 29/07/2022 20:09

Sirzy · 29/07/2022 19:41

Just order more before they expire surely?

ds has an emergency medication for injection sometimes it has 3 months life span others 9 months - I just make a note of when I need to order more.

Welll, I don't really want to pay repeatedly for prescriptions if I don't have to. My last box lasted me a year.

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Floralnomad · 29/07/2022 20:12

I would have thought 6 months is fine for an expiry .

Cuddlywuddlies · 29/07/2022 20:13

All medication has its own expiry date based on its stability trials. After that date they may degrade. I imagine if you bring it back once expired they will replace it for free as the expiry date is not something you can control.

Original poster
SallySailor · 29/07/2022 20:14

This makes sense, only this is for occasional use, not a course as such. I guess I'm annoyed because it's happened with all three items I've picked up this past week, so just wondering what is acceptable and if it would be reasonable to request a longer date if it happens again in future

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Original poster
SallySailor · 29/07/2022 20:16

Cuddlywuddlies · 29/07/2022 20:13

All medication has its own expiry date based on its stability trials. After that date they may degrade. I imagine if you bring it back once expired they will replace it for free as the expiry date is not something you can control.

It is items that have several years' expiry usually though. My box from lady year have an eCopy of November 24

OP posts:
Original poster
SallySailor · 29/07/2022 20:17

Last year!

OP posts:
Cuddlywuddlies · 29/07/2022 20:59

@SallySailor yes they will have Just given you a packet that they have had for a while. It’s no big issue, as I said you can bring it back and get it replaced. Keep the original prescription letter etc.

Original poster
SallySailor · 29/07/2022 21:02

@Cuddlywuddlies thanks. I didn't realise that was a possibility. In that case it's obviously no problem at all

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