Nico asked
Does Zyrtec expire? I have an old bottle of tablets and wanted to know if it was okay to take.
Answer
Every medication, including Zyrtec and other over the counter drugs, have an expiration date that ensures that the drug is safe to use and should work as intended. Expired medications can be less effective or the strength of the drug can be decreased, potentially causing therapeutic failure.
In addition, some medications can be susceptible to bacteria after the expiration date, while others can change chemical composition and create a risk of unwanted side effects. If your medication is expired or you cannot find the expiration date on the bottle, do not take the medication. This is one of the reasons why it is important to keep all medication in the original bottle.
Therefore, In most cases, it is not recommended to take expired Zyrtec (cetirizine), which includes all of the products in the Zyrtec family including:
- Zyrtec Tablet
- Zyrtec Liquid Gels
- Zyrtec Allergy Syrup
- Zyrtec Dissolve Tabs
Expired Zyrtec (Cetirizine) May Have A Loss Of Potency
As stated, one of the reasons that it not recommended to take expired Zyrtec (and other medication) is that it may not be as potent as it once was when it was in-date. Medications are less stable over time and tend to break down. This is especially true if they have been exposed to light, moisture, heat or other factors that could accelerate decomposition.
Although expired medications are more likely than non-expired medications to be less potent, it is often difficult to tell whether or not they have broken down simply by looking at the medication. Very few medications will exhibit tell-tale signs that they have gone "bad". One example in which breakdown is obvious is aspirin. Aspirin has a characteristic smell once it begins to chemically degrade. Zyrtec however, tends not to have any noticeable indicators.
You may be wondering how expiration dates are set for products like Zyrtec. Manufacturers will perform stability tests on their product for a finite period of time, usually two to three years. After this time, there is no data to determine whether or not a medication is still as stable and potent as labeled. In other words, the expiration is marked for however long the manufacturer has stability data for.
Data from various studies indicate that it takes most medication quite a long time to lose a significant percentage of their original potency. One study, conducted in the 1980's, found that many medications retained about 70-80% of their original potency after 10 years when stored in the original container! The issue is, there is no definitive way to tell without testing.
Is Expired Zyrtec (Cetirizine) Safe To Take?
It is very possible that Zyrtec may still be good and have the expected benefit once it is expired, but again, there is no data to confirm this. The good news is that there are no reports of expired Zyrtec products causing harm to anyone as Zyrtec doesn't break down into harmful components.
The main concern is that expired Zyrtec simply may not work as well as in-date products. As Zyrtec is available over the counter and is relatively inexpensive, it makes sense to buy a new, replacement product to ensure potency.
How To Dispose Of Expired Medications
If a medication has expired remember to dispose of the medication properly. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a drug take back program to get rid of your expired or unneeded medications that can be found on their website here, or your can contact your local law enforcement to see if they participate in the FDA drug take back program.
When disposing of medications in the trash at home the FDA recommends the following steps:
- Remove the drugs from their original containers and mix them with something undesirable, such as used coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter. This makes the medicine less appealing to children and pets and unrecognizable to someone who might intentionally go through the trash looking for drugs.
- Put the mixture in something you can close (a re-sealable zipper storage bag, empty can, or other container) to prevent the drug from leaking or spilling out.
- Throw the container in the garbage.
- Scratch out all your personal information on the empty medicine packaging to protect your identity and privacy. Throw the packaging away.
Only certain medications can be flushed down the toilet or drain because they are considered harmful to others. A list of these drugs can be found here. Additionally, some pharmacies have a medication disposal envelope for a small fee. Check at your local pharmacy to see if this option is available.
