Does A Fentanyl Patch Go Bad ?

I found a fentanyl patch in the closet that's probably 3 months old , it wasnt ever used but it's out of its packaging . Can I still use it ?

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Hello Hunter,
Yes like all medications they have an expiration date. I'm looking right now at some old 100mcg/hr for 72 hours that I use to use.
I got them from the pharmacy about 6 months ago and their expiration date is Aug. 2016
So that would be about a 1 year and 8 months expiration since it was dispensed.
As long as the backing hasn't been removed it should be OK and stick to the skin. Be sure to apply it where you have the most fat tissue for best absorption.
DO NOT try and ingest any part of the patch's active ingredient. It can cause an overdose! The total amount of Fentanyl in the 100mcg/hr patch is 11mg total and that's basically instant death if you ingest it!
Hope this information helps some, but if you have any doubt about the patch's integrity dispose of. Better safe than sorry.
The package also says to not use the patch if seal on the pouch is broken, but I think that's just a safety precaution for tampering.

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Hi Hunter,

I couldn't have said it any better than Mark in post #1, but did want to add that there are studies from Harvard University depicting the length of time that a drug like this remains good for after the expiration date; and that time frame is reported to be well over 10 years for many related medications, of course under proper storage conditions. So as far as efficacy is concerned, I'd bet that it's still just as, if not nearly as potent as before the 3 month mark - no pun intended lol. However, I believe one should always be mindful of how they were utilizing it when it was initially prescribed in order to prevent an accidental overdose.

Hope this helps!

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