Ohio Pharmacy Law Practice Test

An expired drug is characterized as what?

1. Misbranded

2. Adulterated

3. Contaminated

4. Effective

The correct answer is: Adulterated

An expired drug is characterized as adulterated because once a medication reaches its expiration date, it can no longer be guaranteed to maintain its intended safety, strength, quality, and purity. The expiration date signifies the period during which the manufacturer can ensure the drug's effectiveness and safety, and beyond this date, the drug may degrade, potentially leading to reduced therapeutic effects or the formation of harmful byproducts. While misbranding refers to misleading labeling or packaging of a drug, adulteration focuses specifically on the physical and chemical integrity of a product. Contamination involves the presence of foreign substances that may compromise the drug, and effectiveness refers to the drug's ability to produce the desired therapeutic outcome, which becomes questionable after the expiration date. Thus, in the context of Ohio Pharmacy Law, identifying an expired drug as adulterated emphasizes the need for quality assurance throughout a drug's shelf life.