Expired Medications Can Be Harmful

The FDA requires that the manufacturer’s of medication indicate expiration dates to indicate to the user when a medication will lose its potency. Generally the expiration date for medications is two to five years. The FDA does not require drug companies to test their products past the two year expiration dates. While some medications just lose their potency other medication may cause drug injury if taken after their expiration date. It is important to look at the labels, but if you do become ill you may need a lawyer to help you navigate the legal system. 

The Medical Letter reported that most expired medications cause no harm to people. However, the report did find that drugs that were associated with degraded tetracycline have cause liver damage. They also admitted that there is a lack of well-researched evidence to show how expired medications affect the human body. Patients in Provo, Utah and other cities will still want to use caution when taking expired medications because of the lack of research into the potential drug injury that may occur from taking that medication. These types of injuries may require a lawyer.

While the toxicity levels in expired medications should not be a concern for most medications, there is a problem when certain medications lose their potency. If the user unknowingly takes an expired medication when it is to treat an illness it can cause serious harm and drug injury. Medications that should be checked for expiration dates are – Anticonvulsants, Nitroglycerin, Warfarin, Thyroid preparations, Oral contraceptives, Epinephrine and Insulin. If the patient in Provo, or other cities, takes an expired medication it may result in serious harm that may require a lawyer to assist in dealing with the health and financial repercussions.

Eye drops are another medication that should be checked for its expiration date. Expired eye drops may grow bacteria as the preservatives in the liquid degrade. Eyes can be very sensitive and this can result in serious health risks if your vision becomes impaired in Provo or another city. This drug injury may require a consultation with a lawyer to get assistance for the lost work.

Things that can affect medications are exposure to light, oxygen, moisture or extreme temperatures. It is important to store your medications in a safe place that is dark and free from moisture. This may not be as much of an issue for people in dryer climates, like Provo, but people in the East Coast need to keep that in mind when storing their medications.

Lura Briggs  is a legal writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry. Follow on Twitter.