What To Do With Expired Meds
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:55 pm
Bold italics means a direct quote from the source in the link below.
It turns out that the expiration date on a drug does stand for something, but probably not what you think it does. Since a law was passed in 1979, drug manufacturers are required to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date at which the manufacturer can still guarantee the full potency and safety of the drug.
The operative word here is “guarantee” which means no legal recourse if something goes awry it wasn’t due to the medication. So pharmaceuticals are conservative and also reap the marketing benefits by a public that believes the drugs should be tossed after that date. Not so. Don’t throw away expired meds.
A study conducted by the Army medical corps more than 20 years ago on expired meds found that almost all that were less than 10 years beyond the expiration date was still beyond 99% effective – plus or minus .005 level of significance. That’s exceptional. (Ten years was their benchmark for testing.) What that statistical level means is that comparing “in date” with “out of date” meds by evaluating their potency and ability to perform as expected on patients it was that “out of date” meds did as well as “in date meds” (with an exception that is so small that it is mice nuts.) Their report to the Pentagon was not to destroy these but to use them. The Pentagon declined to accept the recommendation after pressure from the pharmaceutical companies who said they would not guarantee the effectiveness. Most likely those reviewing the recommendation had no concept of statistical analysis and the significance of the results. Thus, the Pentagon powers that be ordered the continued disposal of expired meds. Money, money, money.
So the expiration date doesn't really indicate a point at which the medication is no longer effective or has become unsafe to use. Medical authorities state expired drugs are safe to take, even those that expired years ago.
Don’t take my word for it. Do your own research. However, since I’m on Medicare and ALWAYS exceed the amount that puts me into the dung(donut)hole early, I’ve learned that I can stockpile meds and save at least a thousand dollars a year. I discussed this with one of my physicians who prescribes a medication that costs me $1200 each month. Then I go into the dung hole and pay more and then am out and the payment is 5% of the total charge. That means that by ordering all the other meds after that point at 5% and using the old meds I save a lot of money. He thought that was a wise plan but also stated that he couldn’t recommend that to other patients because of the problems with medical mal-practice suits or complaints or being called-up by Hospital Corporation. What he says privately remains between us. Ask your doctor.
BTW – that’s teen text for By The Way – while I know Darvocet was banned about two years ago I still have a stockpile and last night really needed one which was out of date in 2011, so I took it. It worked great. (First tab in over a year). My thinking is that taken as needed (PRN) works with expired meds. You are in charge of your mind and body. Take care of it and don’t depend on the advertisers to do it for you.
For those of you who want more information on how this works PM me.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1103a.shtml
This explains Statistically Significance Level for those who are interested.
https://www.iwh.on.ca/wrmb/statistical-significance
It turns out that the expiration date on a drug does stand for something, but probably not what you think it does. Since a law was passed in 1979, drug manufacturers are required to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date at which the manufacturer can still guarantee the full potency and safety of the drug.
The operative word here is “guarantee” which means no legal recourse if something goes awry it wasn’t due to the medication. So pharmaceuticals are conservative and also reap the marketing benefits by a public that believes the drugs should be tossed after that date. Not so. Don’t throw away expired meds.
A study conducted by the Army medical corps more than 20 years ago on expired meds found that almost all that were less than 10 years beyond the expiration date was still beyond 99% effective – plus or minus .005 level of significance. That’s exceptional. (Ten years was their benchmark for testing.) What that statistical level means is that comparing “in date” with “out of date” meds by evaluating their potency and ability to perform as expected on patients it was that “out of date” meds did as well as “in date meds” (with an exception that is so small that it is mice nuts.) Their report to the Pentagon was not to destroy these but to use them. The Pentagon declined to accept the recommendation after pressure from the pharmaceutical companies who said they would not guarantee the effectiveness. Most likely those reviewing the recommendation had no concept of statistical analysis and the significance of the results. Thus, the Pentagon powers that be ordered the continued disposal of expired meds. Money, money, money.
So the expiration date doesn't really indicate a point at which the medication is no longer effective or has become unsafe to use. Medical authorities state expired drugs are safe to take, even those that expired years ago.
Don’t take my word for it. Do your own research. However, since I’m on Medicare and ALWAYS exceed the amount that puts me into the dung(donut)hole early, I’ve learned that I can stockpile meds and save at least a thousand dollars a year. I discussed this with one of my physicians who prescribes a medication that costs me $1200 each month. Then I go into the dung hole and pay more and then am out and the payment is 5% of the total charge. That means that by ordering all the other meds after that point at 5% and using the old meds I save a lot of money. He thought that was a wise plan but also stated that he couldn’t recommend that to other patients because of the problems with medical mal-practice suits or complaints or being called-up by Hospital Corporation. What he says privately remains between us. Ask your doctor.
BTW – that’s teen text for By The Way – while I know Darvocet was banned about two years ago I still have a stockpile and last night really needed one which was out of date in 2011, so I took it. It worked great. (First tab in over a year). My thinking is that taken as needed (PRN) works with expired meds. You are in charge of your mind and body. Take care of it and don’t depend on the advertisers to do it for you.
For those of you who want more information on how this works PM me.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1103a.shtml
This explains Statistically Significance Level for those who are interested.
https://www.iwh.on.ca/wrmb/statistical-significance