Imat work right now and Im ordering antibiotic ointment but im not sure if i should throw away the ointment we have left. It expired about four months ago but I want to make sure I can still use it. I work in a surgeon's office and I want to save the office money. Thanks!
2007-01-22 05:46:31 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
No pl.
2007-01-22 05:50:38 · answer #1 · answered by SKG R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The expiration date they place on antibiotic ointment is placed there to specify the date they guarantee the potency of the product. The longer past the expiration date, the less the potency of the product. I would suggest discarding the ointment due to practice policy. If the ointment is applied to a patient and the patient has an adverse affect whether it be from the ointment or not, they could use that against the surgical practice. It is best to be safe than sorry. Never stock more than is calculated for use when calculating your stock. Try to calculate usage with shipment, and expiration dates of the product so you are not discarding no more unused product than necessary.
2007-01-22 14:12:47 · answer #2 · answered by Blue 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Throw it away and get the new stuff. I don't think using it would be harmful, but after the expiration date the efficacy (usefulness) of the ointment diminishes. Using an antibiotic ointment that has NOT expired can save your company a lot more money than using an ointment that has expired.
2007-01-22 14:22:12 · answer #3 · answered by Mary L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I will personally don´t use it, maybe if it would be less than a month yes but the truth is that it might work a little bit, and since the expiration's dates are due to the chemical reactions that happen in all substances, the more time it has the less effective it is, also their is the factor of how it was stored, heat, humidity, sun light exposure and so on. Even it may become poisonous. Besides it is your body, how much are you willing to invest in it, is your choice.
2007-01-22 13:56:56 · answer #4 · answered by El Danny 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get some new stuff. Better safe than sorry. You could call the company that makes the stuff but by the time you call you directory assistance and the company #, it'll cost about the same as new ointment.
2007-01-22 13:51:39 · answer #5 · answered by SHELTIELUVER 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if it is expired, it is illegal to use it on a patient. Throw it out, if OSHA came in on a surprise visit and found that expired med, your facility could be fined up to 100,000 dollars a day for the entire four months that ointment remained in the facility.
2007-01-22 13:51:15 · answer #6 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When it expires it turns to something else. Even if it does not hurt the user it will not benefit him. So it would be of no use to him.
2007-01-22 15:01:50 · answer #7 · answered by Balsam 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Throw it out.
2007-01-22 14:01:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋