Question
Using expired ARVs
6 February 2022. Related: Access to treatment, Adherence, All topics.
Lately I am using ARV Atripla that will expire in February 2022. I have to take this ARV until 14 March. Is it safe to use these during February and the two first weeks of march? Cause I have read that ARV have a short lifetime (18- 24 month).
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Are you able to get any ARVs to replace the ones that will expire? The biggest risk of taking expired ARVs is that it is no longer guaranteed that they will work as well as they usually do. A month after expiration is not likely to be a problem but it is important to be aware of this.
As a result of the potentially reduced efficacy there is a slight risk of HIV drug resistance. However this is a very small risk. Taking expired ARVs will be of more benefit than of taking none.
Josh.
Hi Josh, expired medications don’t usually become toxic. Medication expires on the basis that it is less effective as the medication is older and degrades over time.
Taking this expired medication is not going to be as effective as in date treatment. This far out of date can lead to problems with resistance and treatment failure. It would not be recommend to take this medication. At this point the medication would have more risk of harm instead of the potential benefits.
What about genvoya that is 5 years old? I can’t find any actual information anywhere just a bunch. If stuff saying don’t take expired meds. But what about if there was a catastrophe and new meds were unavailable but i had a 5 year supply of fresh arvs. Would they become toxic before I ran out? Or useless?
Hi Mary, expired ARVs should not be causing reactions to your skin if it was fine when they were in date. Expired means that the drug might be less effective, but different side effects won’t happen. Have you gone to see a doctor about these reactions?
I have been taking expired arv drug without any knowledge of it and now I have reactions on my skin