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Health: eight out of ten expired medicines remain effective
UFC Que Choisir has tested the effectiveness of several medications once the expiration date has passed.
(France 2)
UFC Que Choisir has tested the effectiveness of several medications once the expiration date has passed.
Eight out of ten expired drugs retain 90% effectiveness, sometimes 30 years after the expiration dateaccording to a study by UFC-Que Choisir, published on Thursday, September 19. The association had a specialized laboratory analyze the quantity of active substances in 30 boxes of tablets, capsules or sachets of paracetamol and ibuprofen considered expired by the manufacturers.
While the government wants to control the surge in health spending, getting rid of drugs that are still effective and buying new ones at the pharmacy contributes to supply tensions and drug shortages in pharmacies. The consumer association announces that it is contacting the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products to ask it to implement a set of measures to limit the waste of medicines.