PHARMACY GUIDELINES CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL

TITLE : DOCUMENT NO : REV NO :

General Guidelines for shelf-life of GL/PHA/02 03
Medicinal Products
EFFECTIVE DATE : PAGE :
21 March 2011 1 of 3
DOCUMENT OWNER: APPROVAL:
Pharmacist Pharmacy Manager

1.0 OBJECTIVE

To serve as a general guide for shelf life of medicinal products that are used in the
hospital based on the following assumptions:

1.1 Light sensitive items are stored in amber/light-proof containers

1.2 Items are stored in a cool, dry place or as recommended by manufacturer
1.3 Caps and closures are tightly closed after use
1.4 Items that have deteriorated eg. discoloration, change in smell or consistency
are not to be used
1.5 Items to be used in sterile conditions are to be discarded once opened
1.6 Items are not contaminated during use

2.0 SCOPE

This guideline outlines the actions and responsibilities of the staff using medicinal
products in the hospital.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Nil

4.0 REFERENCES

4.1 Product Information Leaflets

4.2 British Pharmacopoeia 1988 Volumes I & II. Her Majestys Stationary Office,
London, UK
4.3 Handbook of Injectable Drugs 14th Edition. Lawrence A. Trissel. American
Society of Health-System Pharmacists
4.4 Martindale, the Extra Pharmacopoeia 33rd Edition. The Pharmaceutical Press,
London, UK
4.5 The Pharmaceutical Codex 11th Edition 1979. The Pharmaceutical Press, UK

5.0 GUIDELINE DETAILS

5.1 Oral solid dosage forms:

a) To follow manufacturers expiry date.
b) GTN tablets: Discard 2 months from date of opening.

5.2 Oral liquid dosage forms:

a) To follow manufacturers expiry date or 6 months from date of opening
whichever is shorter.
b) Reconstituted liquid dosage forms to follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life.
PHARMACY GUIDELINES CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL
TITLE : DOCUMENT NO : REV NO :
General Guidelines for shelf-life of GL/PHA/02 03
Medicinal Products
EFFECTIVE DATE : PAGE :
21 March 2011 2 of 3

5.3 Extemporaneous preparations:

Expiry date on label (as recommended by literature)

5.4 Nebuliser solutions:

a) To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 1 month from date of opening if
no recommendation given from manufacturer
b) Nebuliser ampoules: To follow drug labels or manufacturers recommended shelf-
life or 24 hours after opening whichever is shorter.

5.5 Single-dose injections:

To discard after single use

5.6 Multi-dose injections (except insulins):

To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 1 month from date of
opening if no recommendation given from manufacturer

5.7 Insulins:
a) To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life

Expiry Date (After First Opening) Insulin Preparations

4 weeks Humalog, Humulin, Lantus, Novorapid,
Novomix preparations
6 weeks Actrapid, Insulatard, Mixtard preparations

5.8 Intravenous infusion fluid:

To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 24 hours whichever is
shorter.

5.9 Vaccines:
a) To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or
b) with preservative: 3 hours after opening
c) without preservative: 1 hour after opening
d) Oral poliomyelitis vaccine: 3 hours after opening

5.10 Eye preparations:

a) To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 1 month from date of
opening whichever is shorter.
b) Preservative-free preparations
Refresh / Refresh Plus: discard unused portion
Tears Naturale PF: 12 hours after opening of vial

5.11 External Creams / Ointments:

To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 6 months whichever is
shorter.

5.12 External Solutions

a) For use on patients: To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 1 month
from date of opening whichever is shorter.
PHARMACY GUIDELINES CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL
TITLE : DOCUMENT NO : REV NO :
General Guidelines for shelf-life of GL/PHA/02 03
Medicinal Products
EFFECTIVE DATE : PAGE :
21 March 2011 3 of 3

b) Lidocaine (10mg/dose) pump spray 10% (Xylocaine): To follow manufacturers

recommended shelf-life or 6 months from date of opening whichever is shorter.
c) For disinfection of equipment/ bench tops etc: To follow manufacturers
recommended shelf-life or 6 months from date of opening whichever is shorter.

5.13 Milk Feeds

a) To follow manufacturers recommended shelf-life or 24 hours (in the fridge) from

time of opening whichever is shorter.