Does Sildenafil Expire? What the Date Means and What to Do With Old Pills

Yes, sildenafil expires, and the FDA's advice is not to take it after the date on the bottle: once a medicine has expired, "there is no guarantee that the medicine will be safe and effective" (FDA). Sildenafil is sold as Viagra for erectile dysfunction (ED), and the same drug is marketed as Revatio for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs) (VIAGRA label).

If you have had sildenafil sitting in a cabinet for a while, start by finding the date. It is printed on the label or stamped on the bottle or carton, sometimes after "EXP" (FDA).

What is an expiration date?

Federal rules require every drug product to carry an expiration date "determined by appropriate stability testing," so that it meets standards of identity, strength, quality, and purity at the time of use (21 CFR 211.137). That date is tied to the storage conditions on the label. Tablets kept somewhere hotter or damper than the label allows can lose effectiveness before the printed date (FDA).

What happens if you take expired sildenafil?

The most likely problem is that it works less well. The FDA says expired medicines "can be less effective or risky due to a change in chemical composition or a decrease in strength" (FDA). That statement covers medicines in general and gives no data on sildenafil specifically.

What taking an expired tablet can cost you:

• Reduced effectiveness
• A wasted dose: you may decide the medicine "didn't work" when the tablet had lost strength
• Delayed treatment, which matters more if you take sildenafil for PAH than for ED

If an old tablet seems weaker, don't take extra to make up for it. Ask the clinician who prescribes it for a new supply.

Can expired sildenafil make you sick?

The FDA does not single out sildenafil as turning harmful after its date, but it does not call any expired medicine safe either. Its position covers all of them: past the date, safety and effectiveness are not guaranteed, so "If your medicine has expired, do not use it" (FDA).

How to store sildenafil properly

The Viagra label says to store the tablets at 25°C (77°F), with short excursions allowed between 15°C and 30°C (59°F to 86°F) (VIAGRA label).

The FDA's general storage advice (FDA):

• Keep medicine in a cool, dry place such as a dresser drawer, storage box, closet shelf, or kitchen cabinet
• Avoid a damp bathroom cabinet, which can reduce a medicine's effectiveness before its expiration date
• In the kitchen, keep it away from hot appliances and the sink
• Keep it where children can't reach it

What should you do with expired sildenafil?

The FDA lists disposal options in order (FDA disposal guidance):

• Best: take it to a drug take-back location, often at a pharmacy or police station, or mail it in a prepaid drug mail-back envelope
• Don't flush it. The FDA says to flush only medicines on its flush list, which covers drugs with misuse potential that can kill with one dose, and sildenafil is not on it
• If no take-back option is available, put it in the household trash: mix the tablets (don't crush them) with something unappealing such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds, seal the mixture in a plastic bag, and scratch your personal information off the empty bottle

Need a refill or new prescription?

If your sildenafil has expired, a licensed clinician can decide whether a new prescription is right for you. AlphaMD providers prescribe sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis) for ED.

Key takeaways

• Yes, sildenafil expires. Check the date on your bottle or carton.
• After that date, the FDA says safety and effectiveness are not guaranteed, and the most likely problem is a weaker tablet.
• Store it at room temperature in a dry place, away from the bathroom.
• Dispose of old tablets through a take-back program, or in the household trash mixed with something unappealing. Don't flush them.