Expiration Dates:
No Appointment Necessary

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, April 2 and June 11
Show 310

One of the questions I get a lot from my customers is, "How long are my medicines really effective? Are those expiration dates for real?" The answer is yes-- the expiration date ensures that the medicine meets applicable standards of strength, quality, and purity at the time of use. And that expiration date is only good if you kept your medicine in the original unopened container, stored exactly as the manufacturer specified. Heat, cold and moisture can all affect the medicines' potency. Light can too, which is why most prescriptions come in amber bottles. So those expiration dates are there to insure that you get the relief you paid for. And incidentally, if your over-the-counter medicine has just a month and a year listed, it is good until the end of the month.