Levitra Cialis and Viagra. Do the expireation dates mean anything in regards to the potency of the drug?  I've got some that is over 2 years beyond that date. (I know, I should be more active)

-- Modified on 4/22/2009 6:52:58 AM

The only things my doc says are worthwhile using past their dates are a few select antibiotics. (a few months past, only)

Have you talked to your pharmacist and/or doctor yet? If not, talk to one of them before you do anything. I can't speak for those 3 drugs, but I know the expiration dates on other prescription drugs are to be taken seriously.

and the conclusion was that in most cases the expiration date was meaningless. In fact the military medical corps we buying drugs past their expiration dates to save money.

-- Modified on 4/22/2009 1:39:20 PM

I would be concerned not only of loss of potency (no pun) but of increased side effects.  I would toss them.

I would give them to your buddies that keep asking for you to supply them! LOL

More horny fish will mean more fish in general and help end world hunger.

Happy Earth Day everyone!

I did work in the pharmaceutical industry in a lab testing new pharmaceuticals.

When pharmaceuticals get tested, before approval for human use...they must get tested on stability at room temperature for a period of 0-5 years.  Most are actually good for a minimum of 2-3 years, as long as they have not been subjected to harsh conditions (high temperature or humidity).  So when you get the bottle of pills from CVS and they say discard after a year, they are most likely fine for 2 years at least.  The main thing I would be looking for would be do the old pills look the same as the new ones.  If the color has changed or they look different it is probably time to toss, in the trash....not down the sink.

Liquid antibiotics, insulin and nitroglycerin are the most common exceptions, and there is some debate over the tetracycline family of drugs.

Pretty much all others will be good for years beyond the expiration dates.

Many of the drugs we see expiration dates on in this country won't carry them overseas.  In the US, expiration dates have been mandatory since 1979, so the manufacturers put something there, even on things that never expire.  More often than not, it's a date that's convenient for them.  The process is pretty much that the manufacturer picks a date (usually 2-3 years), they then test that the drug is still good on that date and that's it.  They never test to see how long it might be good for.  It took military intervention to get that kind of testing done.

The US military has decided to extend the shelf life of most medicines after studying the issue along with the FDA.  Not surprisingly, the results of those studies are not made public.

With regards to the ED drugs (and really most drugs certified today), the compounds in them can't degrade into something harmful.  The worst that might happen is that it might become slightly less effective over time.  I seriously doubt you'd notice the difference in effectiveness of Viagra that's a few months old.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1103a.shtml

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5712/drug_expiration_dates_how_they_benefit.html?cat=5

Incidentally, if beyond-expiration levitra was a problem, I should already be dead.

They get tested for stablity over a period that the manufacturer selects, which is usually 2 or 3 years in the US.

The date is partially determined by the amount of time available for testing.  In most cases, there will only be two to three years available for stablity testing after the final dosages and pill form are determined.

There's no legal requirement or incentive to continue long-term testing beyond approval.  The few tests that have been done by outside forces (mostly the US military) have led to expiration date extensions of up to a decade.

as a part of company policy.......and it was a wide variety of drugs, solids, liquids, semi-solids, capsules over a wide range.  Very rarely did anything fall out of range for potency by 3 years.

Because they were spending millions of dollars a year replacing "expired" drugs in their inventories.

They determined that very few drugs actually go bad anytime near their legal expiration dates.

Be careful of insulin, nitroglycerine, liquid antibiotics and possibly the tetracycline family, which do go bad.  I'd also be concerned about most vaccines (esp. live vaccines), which I do not believe were included in the military studies.

I am a pharmacist, use them, they don't go bad.

I've been using up my 5 year old supply of Cialis and they have been working just fine thank you. At $15 each it seemed a shame to just throw them away. Still not a pharmacist or a doctor, just a satisfied user.

The expiration date may vary by state law.  Everything I get is labeled "expires 1 year" from dispensing date (not manufacturing date).  Drug makers products are safe far beyond that arbitrary "1 year" dispensing anniversary.  
I have used vitimin V beyond a year though my stash currently needs refilling.  
This may not be true for cut pills as V is coated.  My doc informed me the coating is because the taste like crap (how does he know what crap tastes like?) but they are ok to cut.  The V 100 mg costs the same as 25 mg, so I cut my 100s in 4.
It's tough to keep a supply for the SO & the hobby friends.
jtp