Should You Take Expired Medicine? | Geisinger

We’ve updated our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. By using this site, you agree to these terms.

How many bottles of unused or expired medication do you have in your medicine cabinet right now? Like leftover antibiotics or other prescriptions — or unused cold medicine or NSAIDs.

So when you have a headache, should you reach for the expired Tylenol® or skip it entirely?

You may want to head to the drug store (or send someone in your place) to buy something else.

That out-of-date medicine may seem harmless, but aging medication may not work as well as it should.

“Avoid taking expired drugs, as the full potency and safety of the product can’t be guaranteed after they expire,” says Micaela Mitchell, pharmacy manager at Geisinger Medical Center.

In other words, you might not get the same results as you would from newer medicine.

To be sure you’re not taking old medicine, check the label. Depending on the type of medicine you have, you may notice two different dates that mean different things.

Over-the-counter drugs like antacids or NSAIDs will have an expiration date printed somewhere on the package.

“The expiration date, designated by the manufacturer, indicates the final day that the product can be guaranteed to have its intended potency,” says Ms. Mitchell.

The other date you might see is called the BUD or “beyond use date.” This appears on prescription medications. It’s a date that’s assigned after the original container has been opened, typically 1 year from the date it was dispensed.

The BUD factors in normal shelf life of your medicine, as well as exposure to environmental conditions like:

“Environmental factors can break down medication over time, which can affect quality,” Ms. Mitchell says.

Look for the BUD on a prescription label, often indicated with wording like “Discard after” or “Do not use after.”

When you have a medication that’s out of date, it’s time to get rid of it. “Medication should be properly disposed of after the expiration date or when no longer needed,” says Ms. Mitchell.

Is your item still within the recommended date, but looks “off”? Ms. Mitchell recommends getting rid of anything that appears:

And if you can’t read the date or you’re just not sure, don’t take the chance. Dispose of the medicine — but don’t just throw it in the trash or flush it down the toilet.

Proper disposing of medications keeps everyone safe. Before you get rid of prescriptions, start by removing any personal information. When possible, remove the label. If you can’t remove it, scratch out any personal information like your name or birthdate. Once you’ve done that, you have a few disposal options.

You’ll find medication drop boxes at most pharmacies and municipal buildings in your area. For disposal at a Geisinger Pharmacy, just put your old items into one of our drop boxes, and we'll handle the rest.

We accept prescription and over-the-counter medications like:

Another way to dispose of your old meds: Start by looking where you live. “Communities often partner with local law enforcement agencies to host drug takeback days,” Ms. Mitchell says. Check online to see if there’s an upcoming event near you.

If you’re not sure what to do with your expired medicine, start by contacting your local pharmacy. They’ll walk you through any special instructions for proper disposal and help you find a place to safely drop off your old or unused medicine.

Get to know Geisinger PharmacyIs your medicine cabinet fully stocked?High blood pressure? Be careful with cold medicine