Posted on 07/19/2019 1:52:58 PM PDT by Sheapdog
I’ve noticed on a similar aging concern.
Batteries:
We had the ‘safety police’ require virtually every toy and appliance secure the battery in a compartment that requires a screwdriver to open. They prohibit the plastic latch to open and close a battery space.
Batteries are corroding like never before. They get left in things when the things stop working. Nobody bothers to find a screwdriver and so much more destruction of devices due to corrosive reactions.
Manufactures of batteries also tend to be protected from lawsuits of kids and corrosive contact. Not much incentive to make batteries that don’t corrode. 95% of what I’ve seen this year are in horrible condition, all buried behind a screwdriver required compartment.
Too many nanny-statisms are driven by the fear that something "might" happen, unless...
Well, the sun "might" go supernova tomorrow.
“As far as i’m concerned, drugs are like ammunition... they never expire. Expiration dates are gimmicks to throw out the “old” so that you have to buy more of the new-er.”
I agree with you but watch out for tetracycline. Some studies say it can be toxic if expired. I got my hands on a ton of expired meds, lots of antibiotics, but I’m going to toss the tetracycline. If there’s ever a SHTF situation I’m going to be rich!
So refrigerating prescription drugs does not harm them?
Cause they have their optimal storage temps and many of those do not include temperatures as low as a fridge.
As a survivalist and overall smart guy, I stockpile my prescription meds for when ‘it’ happens (in my case, blood pressure). So articles like this convince me that I’m doing the right thing. Obviously I use only the older drugs (now only several years old), but they’re still working fine. Once I have enough stockpiled to get me to the end, I’ll be through having to deal with doctors and physicals anymore.
The thing is that you can’t buy aspirin anymore in reasonable quantities. You have to buy way more than you need. So they have kind of forced some people to use it way past the expiration date or else just throw money away.
If asprin smells like vinegar toss it.
“Not much incentive to make batteries that don’t corrode.”
I agree, something changed in the formulation (probably due to another great idea from the Left to limit exposure to certain chemicals) and the batteries are destroying nearly everything they’re put in.
Thankfully there is an option...
https://www.energizer.com/longest-lasting-aa-battery
These Lithium batteries simply do not leak, and they have a shelf life of at least 20 years...as their self-discharge is next to nothing. They cost more than alkalines, a bit over $1.00 each for AA and AAA sizes, but you can put them in a flashlight, store it in your hot car for 2 years, and it’s as bright as if it had new batteries. They also come in a 9V size. Unfortunately AA is the biggest size, so far.
IMHO, drugs are like ammo. Don’t worry about expiration. Store in a cool dry place and use it until it is gone.
There is no such animal as "optimal storage temperature". It is simply about chemical kinetics. Cool environments slow down spoilage reactions, hot environments speed them up. As long as you don't freeze'em, they should be OK.
The products need to be guaranteed to be about 90% of labeled value when administered to patient. There is leeway in starting strength. Example: label says 100mg per tablet. Legally...it could be 95% up to 105% of value. ( due to manufacturing technique). Then there is no control of transporting.. Storage in pharmacy...and use of product by consumer. It could be transported in very hot condotions. Oxygen could perfuse through certain packaging.hot cold changes could effect ingegrity of packaging. At home..wet or moist homes, bathrooms, hot weather..sunlight...could effect. So a reasonable arbitrary date is chosen to guarantee at least 90% of stated value.If stored in hospitable controlled environment it could last way beyond stated expiration date.
.
Of course not
These are dense stable compounds. In sealed jars
Same with liquid opiates. Killed my friend. Took a swig off 60 yr old opiate based medicine. Dead Very sad
I've heard the same about acyclovir.
So that 10-year-old Viagra should be OK
YUP!
Took some penicillin from a drug store pharmacy after a tooth extraction. Got violently sick in less than an hour...while driving! Dentist wanted the unused pills. He took them to the hospital he worked at (Columbia Presbyterian, NYC) to have them tested. He said they were old and he raised hell with the pharmacy.
How do they measure the “loss of effectiveness”?
That’s interesting.....
And alarming.
You failed to mention the prime mover
Greedy lawyers persueding a jury that this or that or age of drugs or change in the condition of factory wrapped materials are the reason for all you mentioned. The genuine fear of lawsuits by greedy lawyers is the reason for exhorbiant costs and perceived waste.
America is a tyraanny of lawyers
Not entirely off topic. I haven’t learned how to use multiple addresses. So...
Some use-by dates (probably the Epi-pen, as an example)are determined by the integrity of the sterile package barrier. We determined our labeling, in part, by ‘insulting’ packaging that had undergone accelerated ageing.
Basic microbiology techniques and statistics do the rest. We also ran Limulus amebocyte lysate assay tests on components and, if if time and budget allowed, other tests, too.
Accelerated and real-time aged devices and packages are gold - one tries to learn everything possible about the behavior of the components and differences between sterilization methods (gamma vis EtO, foe example)
Thanks for the extra info.
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