The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has issued guidelines on the use of drugs that may have been contaminated by floodwater or unsafe water. In addition, FDA has issued guidelines for temperature-sensitive drugs that were not kept at recommended temperatures because of loss of electricity.
The center recommends that drugs in containers that came in contact with flooding or unsafe water be discarded even if water did not get inside the container, unless the medication is for life-saving purposes with no current replacement available.
Drugs requiring refrigeration that were not kept refrigerated because of loss of electricity should also not be used unless absolutely necessary to sustain life. The shelf life of certain medications (such as insulin) is shorter than the label's expiration date when not properly refrigerated. [Link - FDA.gov]
Comments