Do Medications Expire? A Pharmacist Reveals Which Drugs Last Longer—and Which You Should Toss
Plus find out how to properly dispose of them when they do need to be discarded
Key Takeaways
- Many expired medications remain safe for months, though they may lose potency.
- Eye drops, most liquid medicines and GLP-1 drugs should not be used after they expire.
- Safe medication disposal methods protect your family, pets and the environment.
What do you do when you reach for a much-needed medicine, only to find its expiration date has passed? Do medications really expire? While some medicine cabinet staples do need to be tossed, you’d be surprised how many you can use safely past their expiration date, says Hedva Barenholtz Levy, PharmD, senior care pharmacy specialist and author of Maybe It’s Your Medications. She offers guidance on when it’s okay to use expired medication—and when you should properly dispose of it instead. Here’s everything you need to know.
Do medications expire? How long you can safely use them
Both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications have a shelf life during which the products are generally safe and effective to use (as long as they’ve been properly stored in a cool, dry location). But once that date has passed, should you automatically toss expired drugs? Not necessarily. Levy offers helpful guidelines for common medications:
PPIs last up to 12 months past expiration
Over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), commonly prescribed to treat acid reflux, should be safe to use after their expiration dates for six to 12 months, says Levy. “They just may be less effective, which is generally not a life-threatening situation,” she explains. “Oral liquid formulations are more prone to degrading, and I’d suggest throwing them out within three months beyond the date.”
Woman's World Answers
Eye drops should be tossed
Whether they’ve been prescribed by a doctor or purchased over the counter, eye drops are one type of medication that should not be used past their expiration date. Levy says with liquids (including eye drops), “There is no wiggle room and expiration dates need to be carefully followed.”
NSAIDs last up to 12 months past expiration
Levy says that like PPIs, over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be fine to use in pill or capsule form for six to 12 months after they have expired. But they may not work as well—particularly if they haven’t been stored properly. “Once a medication packaging is opened or if it is stored improperly based on labeled storage guidelines, the expiration date may no longer apply,” she says.
GLP-1s should be tossed
Both GLP-1 injectables and tablets are sensitive to degradation, Levy says, so expiration dates (and storage conditions) are crucial. “Pay attention to expiration dates on the packaging and discard after that date,” she advises. “For injectable GLP-1s, it is both a safety and effectiveness concern. The concern with tablets is mostly decreased effectiveness.”
How to safely dispose of expired medication
“Depending on state regulations, pharmacies or police departments often accept medications for disposal year-round,” Levy says. She adds that for some drugs, the pharmacy may provide a pre-paid drug mail back envelope to return expired or unused medications by mail. You can find a drug take back location near you by visiting the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Take Back Day website.
A version of this story appears in the August 31, 2026 issue of Woman’s World.
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