UT Southwestern IACUC Policy                                                  IACUC  # 100

Approval Date:___12/9/05___                                                   1 of 1

Expired Drugs and Fluids

Rationale: 

The use of expired drugs and fluids is not acceptable veterinary practice and does not constitute the adequate veterinary care required by the regulations promulgated under the Animal Welfare Act.

Policy:

Drugs and fluids that exceed the expiration date must not be used in live animals.  It is unacceptable to use outdated anesthetics, analgesics, or other pharmacological agents on any animal. These materials may lose potency or degrade to toxic by-products if stored after the expiration date, resulting in unpredictable effects that can jeopardize human safety, animal care, and research results even in a non-survival setting. All controlled substances must be logged and secured regardless of expiration date.

Applicability:

This policy applies to all drugs and fluids used for animal care and research.

Instructions:

For proper disposal of controlled substances, go to the EH&S website at:
http://www8.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept145569/files/257210.html.
For proper disposal of non-controlled substances, go to the EH&S website at: http://www8.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept145569/files/179494.html.

Contact Information:

For any additional questions concerning this policy, please contact the IACUC Manager at 5-6420.