Does Expired Ativan Tablets Are As Effective As New Ones?

Posted on Wed, 29 Oct 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 Answered on

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : my sister came across some Ativan she had hidden in a draw , found them & wonder if they are ok to take or do they need to be thrown away, filled on 7-27-12, it is now 10-28-14, thx, don't have a cell phone to send any info to

Answered by Dr. Kerry Pottinger (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Would recommend disposal.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for using Healthcare Magic. The Ativan tablets are over 2 years out of date. The main issue with them would be that they may have lost some of their potency and therefore would not be as effective as expected. I cannot advise your sister to take them however, they are unlikely to be dangerous if taken at the correct dosage. I would suggest it would be safer to dispose of them and seek another prescription from your doctor.
I hope this is of help. If you ahve any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Dr K A Pottinger

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar