One of the issues in the Albert Greenwood Brown execution (on which I post more a little later) is that the state's stock of sodium thiopental has an "expiration date" of October 1. Does that mean it could not be used to carry out an execution on, say, October 3? Of course not. From Johns Hopkins comes this explanation of drug expiration dates:
Think of expiration dates -- which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires be placed on most prescription and over-the-counter medications -- as a very conservative guide to longevity. The expiration date is a guarantee from the manufacturer that a medication will remain chemically stable--and thus maintain its full potency and safety -- prior to that date. Most medications, though, retain their potency well beyond the expiration date, and outdated medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter, are not usually harmful.
In a study conducted by the FDA on a large stockpile of medications purchased by the military, 90% of more than 100 medications were safe and effective to use years after the expiration date. More recently, the FDA approved two-year extensions on expiration dates for a number of drugs, including the antibiotics Cipro (ciprofloxacin), penicillin, and tetracycline; the Tagamet (antiulcer/antireflux drug cimetidine); and Valium (diazepam), a tranquilizer. The drugs in the FDA study, however, were stored under ideal conditions -- not in a bathroom medication cabinet, where heat and humidity can cause drugs to degrade.Assuming the sodium thiopental has been stored well, it would be preposterous for a court to stop the state from using it for an execution in October. But with the death penalty, we know from long experience that preposterousness is no guarantee a court won't do it.
If your medications have been stored under good conditions, they should retain all or much of their potency for at least one to two years following their expiration date, even after the container is opened.
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