Clinically reviewed: Wed 31 July
It’s always important to make sure that any medications you take are within their designated expiry date and you can finish your treatment course within the designated expiry date.
Where will I find the expiry date?
It’s important you keep all the packaging for your treatment and make a mental note of the expiry date. Depending on your treatment you might see the expiry date on the packaging and/or on the item itself.
How are medicine expiry dates shown?
Medicine expiry dates are slightly different from the ones we are used to seeing on food items. The date will be shown in a MM/YYYY format. The MM part refers to the month and means that the medicine is safe to use up until the last day of that month. The YYYY part refers to the year that a medicine is safe to use up until. If a medicine is dated as 10/2024, this means it is safe to use up until the last day of the month of October 2024.
Are there sometimes changes to manufacture displayed expiry dates?
On rare occasions, we may be notified by the manufacturer that certain batches of medications have been officially designated a new, extended expiry date. Any changes to expiry dates are agreed by the manufacturer and the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency) - the Government agency responsible for this.
How will you tell me about changes to expiry dates?
It depends on the circumstances of the date change, but there are two common ways for this to happen:
Re-labelling of medication packaging – sometimes medication is re-labelled by the manufacturer before it is dispensed to a patient.
Communication by letter or other methods – the manufacturer will always include a letter that is sealed in plastic packaging alongside the medication as per MHRA requirements. In these cases, we’ll also notify you during the order process (where applicable).
Are medications with extended expiry dates safe to take?
Before a medication is issued an expiry date extension, there is a formal process that takes place between the manufacturer and the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency) - the Government agency responsible for this. For an extension to be approved it has to be evidenced that there is no effect on patient safety or medication efficacy (how well it performs). Phlo Clinic has no part in this process and is not able to change the medication dates of the medications it dispenses.