Your Expired Medications and Your Wallet

Many of us have bottles full of medications for various health needs that we hold onto, even past the expiration date. It just seems right to do so, but in a time of medication shortages for health and mental health needs alike could these medications be the key to limiting the shortages and cutting our health bills as individuals and a nation?

The article from Reuters “Cound Expired Drugs Cut the U.S. Health Bill?” suggests that this just might be the case. Although a small study, the research discussed in this article suggests that many medications are effective and potent well beyond their expiration dates. Combined with further research into the safety of these older medications, these findings could change the way we label the expiration dates of medications. The Directed of California Posion Control System stated:

“If manufacturers were required to do longer-term stability tests, it could be an enormous cost-saver for consumers,” he said, adding that it could also “be an answer to some of the world’s drug shortages.”

This could mean big changes for doctors, psychiatrists, pharmacists, pharmacutical companies, hospitals, social workers, and clients alike. Most interestingly, the article suggests that pharmacutical companies and reputible research journals are denying the evidence of this research, suggesting again that the profits of big business may outweigh whats in our pockets.