The ________ indicates when a medication is no longer effective and should be discarded.

The ________ indicates when a medication is no longer effective and should be discarded.

• A. Dose
• B. Shelf life
• C. Expiration date
• D. Lot number

Answer: (C)

Potency and effectiveness are guaranteed only up to the expiration date listed on the medication. Up to that date, the manufacturer has tested stability and is confident the drug will work as labeled if stored properly. After the expiration date, potency can decrease and the drug may not be as effective, so it should be discarded to avoid treating with an unreliable dose. The other terms don’t signal discard in the same way: a dose is about how much to administer, not how long the drug stays usable; shelf life describes the overall period a product is considered usable under proper storage, but the specific date on the bottle is the expiration date; a lot number is for traceability and recalls, not for indicating when potency is lost.

Potency and effectiveness are guaranteed only up to the expiration date listed on the medication. Up to that date, the manufacturer has tested stability and is confident the drug will work as labeled if stored properly. After the expiration date, potency can decrease and the drug may not be as effective, so it should be discarded to avoid treating with an unreliable dose. The other terms don’t signal discard in the same way: a dose is about how much to administer, not how long the drug stays usable; shelf life describes the overall period a product is considered usable under proper storage, but the specific date on the bottle is the expiration date; a lot number is for traceability and recalls, not for indicating when potency is lost.