PAFI Kota Koba Education on Drug Use Expired date

Have you ever worried about taking medicine, how long can the product be used? We may be familiar with the expiration date (ED). pafikotakoba.org

It is often used as a benchmark when the medicine is no longer good to consume. However, it should be noted that when the seal or packaging of the medicine has been opened, its stability can change and the usage limit is shorter than the ED. This condition is called beyond use date (BUD). PAFI Kota Koba

Although they have similarities regarding the time limit for using the medicine, beyond use date (BUD) and expired date (ED) have differences.

“Beyond use date is the time limit for using a medicinal product after it is prepared or mixed or after the primary packaging is opened or damaged,” said a pharmaceutical expert from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Prof. Dr. Zullies Ikawati, PhD.

“While the expired date (ED) is the time limit for using the drug on a drug that has not been opened,” he continued.

So, is it safe to consume drugs that have passed the BUD even though the ED is still a long way off?

In his presentation, Prof. Zullies stated that if a drug product is above the BUD, its safety cannot be guaranteed. This is because there is a possibility that the drug is unstable or damaged.

“This instability can produce more dangerous compounds, or conversely, produce compounds that have no effect, and of course will affect the therapeutic effect of the drug,” he said.

Therefore, the public is advised to always pay attention not only to the expiration date (ED), but also to the beyond use date (BUD) before consuming the drug they are going to use.