Cephalexin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections, including those of the ear, nose, throat, skin, and urinary tract. Like all medications, it has an expiration date, an important indicator of its safety and effectiveness. Understanding what these dates mean and the implications of using expired medication is essential for patient well-being. Proper handling and disposal of unused or expired cephalexin are also important for individual and public health.
Understanding Medication Expiration Dates
The expiration date on a medication like cephalexin indicates the period during which the manufacturer guarantees the full potency and safety of the drug when stored correctly. This date is typically found on the bottle, label, or box. Liquid cephalexin suspensions have a shorter shelf life, usually 14 days when refrigerated, after which they should be discarded.
Expiration dates exist because the chemical composition of drugs can change over time, potentially leading to a decrease in the active pharmaceutical ingredient. This degradation can occur due to exposure to environmental factors such as heat, light, air, and moisture. For instance, high temperatures can speed up chemical reactions that reduce a drug’s shelf life, and high humidity levels can accelerate the degradation process, particularly for antibiotics. Proper storage, such as keeping cephalexin in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture, helps maintain its integrity until the expiration date. Once a bottle is opened, the shelf life might slightly decrease depending on storage conditions.
Risks of Using Expired Cephalexin and Safe Disposal
Using expired cephalexin is not recommended because the medication may lose its potency, becoming less effective or entirely ineffective in treating bacterial infections. This reduced efficacy can lead to prolonged illness or, more concerningly, contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. When bacteria are exposed to weakened or insufficient doses of antibiotics, they can adapt and become resistant, making future infections more challenging to treat.
While less common for cephalexin specifically, some medications can degrade into harmful or toxic compounds after their expiration date. Although cephalexin is not generally associated with forming toxic byproducts upon expiration, the risk of reduced effectiveness or unpredictable changes makes using expired medication inadvisable. If cephalexin has changed color, developed an unusual odor, or shows other signs of deterioration, it should be discarded immediately.
Expired cephalexin should never be used and requires proper disposal to prevent accidental ingestion or environmental contamination. The best way to dispose of most unused or expired medicines is through drug take-back programs, including local pharmacy drop-off boxes, mail-back programs, or community collection events like the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which occurs twice a year.
If a take-back option is not readily available, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends disposing of most medicines in household trash after taking specific precautions. This involves mixing the medication with an undesirable substance like dirt or coffee grounds, placing it in a sealed bag, and then in the trash. It is important to scratch out all personal information on the prescription label to protect privacy. Flushing medications down the toilet or drain is generally not recommended unless the specific medication is on the FDA’s flush list, which is typically not the case for cephalexin.