UFC-Que Choisir denounces the environmental, economic and health consequences of the waste of expired medicines, the substances of which are still active long after the expiry date.
- UFC-Que Choisir reported that there was no link between the year of expiry of medications and the quantity of active substance still present.
- In fact, in 80% of cases, drugs are considered effective because they contain an active substance corresponding to at least 90% of that displayed on the box.
- As a result, the consumer association is contacting the ANSM to ask it to change the regulatory framework to avoid this waste of medicines with economic, environmental and health consequences.
“30 years.” This is the number of years that drugs remain effective after the expiration date on the boxes, according to the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir. To reach this discovery, she decided to have a specialized laboratory measure the quantity of active substances present in 30 treatments collected from consumers which, according to the manufacturers, had expired. In detail, 20 tablets, capsules or sachets of paracetamol (expired between 1992 and 2023) and 10 of ibuprofen (expired between 2015 and March 2024) were analyzed.
Of 30 drugs that had expired years ago, the active ingredient content remained stable
The results revealed that in 80% of cases, the drugs contained enough active substance to be considered effective. “Only three samples in each group contain less than 90% of the displayed quantity of active ingredient (for example, less than 900 mg of paracetamol for a Doliprane 1 g), 84% for paracetamol (deadline 2018) and 82% for ibuprofen (deadline 2022).” The researchers stressed that there was no link between the year of expiry of the drugs and the amount of active substance still present. And as proof: 100% of active substance was found in paracetamol that was supposed to have expired since 1992. “Similarly, storage conditions – from a cupboard in a dry, temperate place to a car glove compartment or a bathroom with a warm, humid atmosphere – are not related to the level of active substance remaining. Storage in ideal conditions has not always resulted in better conservation than more negligent treatment,” specified UFC-Que Choisir.
Wasting medicines has triple negative consequences
Faced with this data, the association is calling on the ANSM to implement all measures to avoid this waste of medicines, which has consequences, particularly in a context where the number of shortages has exploded in recent years. Indeed, throwing away medicines that are still effective increases the demand for treatments and supply tensions. Economically speaking, this waste “results in a faster renewal of medications which has a cost for the hospital system and Health Insurance when it comes to prescribed medications, and for patients.” In addition, this waste leads to an unnecessary increase in waste. “partly untreated as part of the drug collection process.”
