# Paxlovid expired - still good?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paxlovid-expired-still-good/991020>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [October 2, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paxlovid-expired-still-good/991020 "2023-10-02T20:08:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paxlovid-expired-still-good/991020/1 "2023-10-02T20:08:32Z")

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I just picked up a prescription for Paxlovid, and I notice that the expiration date is 4/23. Should I assume it’s still good? Or should I assume it no longer good? I’ll take it back to the pharmacy, except that I need the medicine. Of course, if it’s no good then I don’t need it. Quandary.

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paxlovid-expired-still-good/991020/2 "2023-10-02T20:14:25Z")

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Duh - I should have done this before posting. I called the pharmacy and was told the expiration date had been extended through the end of the month of October. So if a Mod is watching, you can close this thread. Thanks. xo,  
C.

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paxlovid-expired-still-good/991020/3 "2023-10-03T11:43:16Z")

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As a general rule medications don’t instantly go bad/become toxic at the stroke of midnight on their expiration date. Those dates are set very conservatively and there is (typically) a wiggle room of months (perhaps longer) if you store them in decent conditions.

When in doubt do what you did - call the pharmacy.

There are a very few types of meds that do deteriorate rapidly but they aren’t common. Again, consult a pharmacist.

(Not a pharmacist, just the daughter, sister-in-law, and aunt of pharmacists).

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paxlovid-expired-still-good/991020/4 "2023-10-03T19:50:36Z")

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We got 2 Rx’s for it (one for each of us), mine showed expired, hers showed it was also expired though that was crossed out and another date hand written on it. Upon inquiry I found out about the date extension and the hand written was correct and also to reduce the questions about it being shown expired. IIRC it was a 6 or 8 month extension.