Medicines Q&As
Q&A 213.2
What do the expiry dates on medicines mean?
Prepared by UK Medicines Information (UKMi) pharmacists for NHS healthcare professionals
Before using this Q&A, read the disclaimer at www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/medicinesQAs/default.asp
Date prepared: 27th July 2011
Summary
Expiry dates on medicines can be expressed in various formats e.g. “use by”, “use before”, “expiry
date”, and this may lead to confusion.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) states that “Where a product states ‘Use by’ or ‘Use before’,
this means that the product should be used before the end of the previous month. For example, ‘use
by 06/2011’ means that the product should not be used after 31 May 2011” (1).
The RPS also states that “Although the definition of ‘expiry date’ is less clear, the MHRA’s advice to
pharmaceutical manufacturers is: the term ‘expiry date’ should be taken to mean that the product
should not be used after the end of the month stated. Therefore, an expiry date of 12/2011 means
that the product should not be used after 31 December 2011” (1).
References
1) Expiry dates. Medicines Ethics and Practice. The professional guide for pharmacists. Edition
35. London: Royal Pharmaceutical Society;July 2011, p36.
Quality Assurance
Prepared by
Kate Pickett, Medicines Q&A Pharmacist, Wessex Drug and Medicines Information Centre,
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Date Prepared
27th July 2011
Checked by
Sue Gough, Critical Evaluation Pharmacist, Wessex Drug and Medicines Information Centre,
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Date of check
28th July 2011
Search strategy
Royal Pharmaceutical Society website. Accessed via www.rpharms.com
PJOnline. Accessed via www.pjonline.com
MHRA website. Accessed via www.mhra.gov.uk
ABPI website. Accessed via http://www.abpi.org.uk/
From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk
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