{"id":627951,"date":"2024-04-25T10:28:58","date_gmt":"2024-04-25T14:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=627951"},"modified":"2024-10-25T09:59:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:59:38","slug":"does-adderall-expire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-adderall-expire\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Adderall expire? What you need to know."},"content":{"rendered":"

Pharmaceuticals<\/span> have <\/span>expiration dates<\/span>. Adderall falls into this category. Labeled as a <\/span>controlled substance<\/span>, <\/span>Adderall<\/span><\/a> contains <\/span>amphetamine<\/span> and <\/span>dextroamphetamine. Both<\/span> are <\/span>amphetamine salts<\/span> that belong to a class of drugs known as <\/span>central nervous system<\/span> (<\/span>CNS<\/span>) stimulants<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, when <\/span>prescription drugs<\/span> are in short supply—as with the <\/span>recent Adderall shortage<\/span><\/a>—many patients who need this <\/span>stimulant medication<\/span> may be tempted to take old pills they find, hoping that’s better than nothing. Additionally, people who have an <\/span>Adderall addiction<\/span> or <\/span>drug abuse<\/span> problem may be tempted to take old pills if that’s all they have left. The power of addiction is strong, and having to <\/span>detox<\/span> is—to understate it—hard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Expired Adderall pills<\/span> may have some residual activity in treating <\/span>health conditions<\/span> such as <\/span>narcolepsy<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>attention deficit hyperactivity disorder<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>ADHD<\/span>) by boosting <\/span>dopamine<\/span> and norepinephrine. However, <\/span>healthcare professionals<\/span> want you to know that <\/span>expired Adderall<\/span> is likely less effective in terms of potency. Always seek <\/span>medical advice<\/span> from a trusted <\/span>healthcare professional<\/span> when questioning the <\/span>drug expiration dates<\/span> of any of your prescribed medications.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What you should know about prescription Adderall<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Does <\/span>Adderall expire<\/span>?<\/span><\/h2>\n

What exactly does that mean, though? The <\/span>FDA<\/span> explains<\/span><\/a> that their regulations require a proposed <\/span>expiration date<\/span> for medications to be approved. The pre-expiration period reflects when the drug is “stable,” meaning that the strength, quality, and purity are solid. Extensions of those <\/span>expiration dates<\/span> can and have happened if a manufacturer applies to do so, but they don’t always.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, much testing and many factors are a part of the process, so the situation is complicated in determining an <\/span>expiration date<\/span>. “The <\/span>shelf-life<\/span> of medications, including Adderall, is determined by rigorous testing performed by the manufacturer,” says <\/span>Dr. Elizabeth A. Hall, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCPPS<\/span><\/a>, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy and translational science, as well as the assistant vice chancellor of academic, faculty, and student affairs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. “Many factors determine <\/span>shelf-life<\/span>, so always refer to your prescription bottle for the <\/span>expiration date<\/span> and ask your pharmacist any questions.”<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s also important to store the medicine properly (tips are below) so it stays good as long as possible. “The <\/span>shelf life<\/span> is directly correlated to this,” says <\/span>Dr. Christina Madison, Pharm.D., FCCP, AAHIVP<\/span><\/a>, founder and CEO of The Public Health Pharmacist, PLLC. “With that being said, typically most prescriptions expire one year after it is dispensed.”<\/span><\/p>\n

In this case, the common descriptor of “expired” is a little misleading. “There is usually a margin of safety factored in here, so the medication may be stable for longer,” adds <\/span>Dr. Maryann Amirishani, Pharm.D., MD, MPH, Ph.D<\/span><\/a>., the co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center and a professor of emergency medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. <\/span><\/p>\n

But whether or not it’s okay to take the medicine after the drug’s <\/span>expiration date<\/span> is somewhat of a hot topic.<\/span><\/p>\n

What happens to Adderall when it expires?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There’s not a ton of research out there, but from what exists, the consensus is Adderall isn’t as helpful once it expires. <\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Hall points to <\/span>a 2012 study in <\/span>Arch Intern Med<\/span><\/i><\/a>, which found expired samples of medication with <\/span>amphetamine<\/span> (one of the <\/span>active ingredients<\/span> in Adderall) were at half-potency after being out-of-date for between 28 and 40 years. In other words, she says, if it was a 5 mg pill, the expired pill was measured to be fewer than 2.5 mg. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Given this study, it is reasonable to expect that the potency and efficacy of Adderall cannot be assured once it is expired,” she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Madison points to <\/span>a 2019 study in <\/span>African Health Sciences<\/span><\/i><\/a> that found most <\/span>over-the-counter<\/span> (OTC) and <\/span>prescription medications<\/span> likely maintain their potency for a few months to years after the <\/span>expiration date<\/span> but says the <\/span>FDA<\/span> only guarantees full potency by the <\/span>expiration date<\/span>, and if stored properly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, <\/span>proper storage<\/span> is what it comes down to. Dr. Amirishani says the <\/span>FDA<\/span>’s testing through the <\/span>Shelf-Life<\/span> Extension Program (SLEP) found they could extend the half-life of 88% of medications for quite some time—and the conditions are probably much different in a patient’s household.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Amirishani believes there’s a big misunderstanding about where to store medication. “One common mistake people make is to store their medications in the <\/span>medicine cabinet<\/span>,” Dr. Amirishani says. “Heat and moisture from the shower can cause medications stored there to break down faster.” <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Is <\/b>expired medicine<\/b> safe to take?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Can you <\/span>take expired Adderall<\/span> during a shortage?<\/span><\/h2>\n

With the recent shortage of Adderall, people may be tempted to take Adderall that’s expired because they have no other way of getting it. Whether or not someone decides to take expired Adderall (excluding cases of <\/span>substance abuse<\/span>, in which <\/span>addiction treatment<\/span> is paramount) ultimately comes down to how cautious a person wants to be and what they expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s likely not harmful to take an <\/span>expired Adderall<\/span>,” Dr. Madison says. “Unlike antibiotics such as doxycycline that become toxic if they expire, there is no issue other than decreased efficacy with taking this medication.” This goes for Adderall, which has expired for all <\/span>periods of time<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, other experts vote against taking <\/span>expired Adderall<\/span>. “As a pediatric pharmacist, I would not recommend that patients <\/span>take expired Adderall<\/span>,” Dr. Hall says. The <\/span>FDA<\/span> agrees, urging people <\/span>not to consume <\/span>expired medicines<\/span><\/a> and warning about the potency and safety risks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regardless, the good news is Adderall isn’t the only option, particularly if taken <\/span>to treat <\/span>ADHD<\/span><\/a>. According to Dr. Hall, more than 30 medications are on the market today in the U.S. for this common condition. “Patients and caregivers should speak with their pharmacist or other <\/span>healthcare provider<\/span> to determine an alternative <\/span>treatment option<\/span>,” she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

If a patient does still take their <\/span>expired Adderall<\/span>, it may be unhelpful—and, more importantly, possibly unsafe. “Taking <\/span>expired Adderall<\/span> is not advised as it is beyond the date at which the medication manufacturer can guarantee full potency and safety of the medication,” Dr. Hall says.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Adderall alternatives: What can I take instead of Adderall?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Tips to keep your Adderall prescription good until its <\/span>expiration date<\/span><\/h2>\n

You can keep an Adderall prescription good until the <\/span>expiration date<\/span> with some storage tips. This ensures that Adderall has a <\/span>high potential<\/span> to stay efficacious before expiration. In other words, the <\/span>effects of Adderall<\/span><\/a> will work the way they’re supposed to and <\/span>treat symptoms<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>medication guide for <\/span>Adderall XR<\/span><\/a> recommends keeping the bottle: <\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Amirishani largely agrees patients shouldn’t experience <\/span>side effects<\/span><\/a>. “Reports of adverse effects from taking <\/span>expired medication<\/span> are exceedingly rare,” she says. “The big thing you worry about is a lack of potency. If a medication loses its potency, the medical problem you are taking it for may not be adequately treated, which can cause harm.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adderall<\/span><\/a> can expire, according to the <\/span>U.S. <\/span>Food and Drug Administration<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>FDA<\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\n