Does ibuprofen have an expiration date and how long do they last?

Question

I have some pills that I have from a recent surgery from almost a year ago. And was kinda scare to take them again because they were old. Does some pills expire? We (the public) dont know when the pills were made. So how do we know they are not expired already?

Answer 1

Yes, all medications and almost all sterile medical supplies in general have some sort of expiration date on them these days.

If you are unsure of the date of expiration, it would be best to just throw them out and purchase new. Ibuprofen isn't expensive at all, so why take any undue risk?

Cheers!

Answer 2

All pills have an expiry date (I'm not aware of any that don't).  In compliance with regulation, it should be clearly displayed on the packet.

The problem isn't that the medication becomes 'toxic' or 'dangerous' over time: medication (as a general rule) only becomes less effective over time.

The main thing to note when taking Ibuprofen is to take it with food.  I have worked in pharmacy for several years and most people forget...or don't feel like taking food when sick.  In that case, take it with yoghurt.  I guess that point is more important than the expiry date.

Answer 3

Most drugs are pretty stable and the expiry date on the container is designed to make you toss out your old medication and buy more, rather than a true measure of when it becomes ineffective or harmful.

Provided you keep the drugs in the cool dark place with low humidity most will last a long time. A medicine cabinet above the bathroom washbasin is about the worst place to keep your medications. It tends to be warm and humid.

Answer 4

My container of Advil (ibuprofen) has an expiration date of 12/09 (and I bought it perhaps a year ago).  Other drugs may have various expiration dates because they can break down to form harmful compounds or will become less than fully effective.  Some drugs may last longer if kept tightly sealed in a refrigerator but the best bet is to use only current drugs (or consult with a pharmacist).  

Answer 5

Normally, the container will say when the drug expired on the back (I would not use them after a year if I were you) just for your safety.