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Spring Cleaning and Your
Medicine Cabinet

Expired Medications

Throw out any medications that are past their expiry date. Check labels carefully for dates. If there is a production date but no expiration date, the general rule is to throw these medications out after two years. If you're not sure how long the medication has been sitting around, it's time to discard it. Tubes of creams and ointments often have their expiration date at the bottom of the tube that gets rolled up during use. You may want to put a label at the top of the tube with the expiration date, name of medication and usage instructions.

There are certain hazards associated with using expired medicine. Expired drugs may be partially degraded and the recommended dose may not produce the desired result. Using expired medication may cause adverse effects. Tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic can lead to the development of severe kidney problems or life-threatening skin disorders if used after the expiration date.

Many liquid drugs for infants and children have been reconstituted by your pharmacist. Never save these drugs for future use, unless you have been instructed to do so.

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