Do prescription diet pills expire?

[JennyR]

Hi y’all! I was wondering if prescription diet pills expire. My friend has a bottle that expired a month ago and she still thinks it’s alright to take, but I think she shouldn’t take them. What do you all think?

[KittyKatt]

Yes they do expire. some of them have a date stamped onto them (usually things that come pre-packaged and that the pharmacist doesn't have to count themselves, like tubes of prescription cream or birth control pills for instance). Others don't have anything written on them because it's not that they expire by a certain date. It all depends on how they have been stored and what's in them, etc. Even the pharmacist can't always tell you exactly how long you can keep them.

In your case, since there is a date on it, it would likely be safe to take it but there really wouldn't be a point. The ones with the dates stamped on them don't usually go rancid, but they lose their effectiveness. So essentially you would be taking a risk and probably not getting any benefit from it.

[ChefMel]

The best thing to do is toss them. Why take the risk?

[ChristySmiles]

The best thing to do is toss them. Why take the risk?

That’s exactly it ChefMel. Even if there is a chance they are still fine, why bother take the risk? The labels exist for a reason. The best thing to do is play it safe and respect that.

[JennyR]

Thank you for replying! I'm glad I can show her that I'm not the only one who thinks she just shouldn't risk it!