Consumer Notice: A note on expiration dates. This article discusses published research on drug stability, including the FDA and Department of Defense Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP). SLEP applies to federal stockpiles held under controlled, monitored storage and tested lot by lot. It does not apply to medications stored at home, and its findings do not extend the expiration date of any medication you own. FDA’s guidance to consumers is that expired medications should not be used. Jase Medical follows the manufacturer’s printed expiration date on every medication we dispense. Replace medications when they expire, and dispose of the expired supply following FDA’s disposal guidance.

Clinician notice: Same text through “should not be used,” then: This article is written for licensed healthcare professionals to support patient counseling. Jase Medical follows the manufacturer’s printed expiration date on every medication we dispense, and we recommend counseling patients to replace medications at the labeled date and dispose of expired supply following FDA guidance.

You recently made the proactive decision to purchase the Jase Case and some add-ons. This investment is a hedge against interrupted medication supplies due to natural disasters, travel to medically underserved regions of the world, and world events leading to extended drug shortages.

You want to protect your investment and the most important step is to store them properly.

To begin with, what is shelf life and expiration dates for?

Understanding shelf life and expiration dates.

Shelf life is the period a drug product stays within its approved specifications when stored under the conditions on its label. The expiration date is the last day the manufacturer guarantees full potency and safety under those conditions, and it is the date to replace your medication.

Storage protects your medication up to that date. Heat, humidity, and light speed degradation, and a poorly stored medication can lose potency before its printed date. The guidelines below keep each medication within specification for its full labeled life.

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Below are the storage guidelines for most medications:

• Don’t store your medicine in the bathroom or an area of the home of high humidity. Humidity can break down your medication and even change the medication’s chemistry. Packing your medication in a pouch with silica gel desiccants can help prevent moisture from ruining your medication.
• Avoid extreme heat and cold. Both extremes can alter the chemistry or degrade the medication’s effectiveness. When traveling, keep medication on you or in your carry on. Don’t store it in your car for extended period of time.
• Keep unused portions of medication in its original packaging. Whether that is the bottle or foil pouch it came in or was provided, doing this avoids contamination and excessive moisture build up.
• Ideal places to store medications at home include dresser drawer, closet shelf or anywhere dark, dry and stays at room temperature. Always store with original label and out of reach of children and vulnerable adults (Alzheimer’s, dementia patients, etc.)

Jase Case and Jase add-ons storage guidelines

Jase Case

Store between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F)., and follow guidelines above (avoid excessive heat, cold, moisture and light).

Store your Jase Case within this range, keep it out of the bathroom and away from heat, and replace medications at their labeled expiration dates. Jase offers refills for expired kit medications.​

Jase Case add-ons

Below are the storage requirements/guidelines for Jase Case add ons:

Closing note: When a medication reaches its expiration date, replace it. Dispose of the expired supply following FDA’s guidance on expired medicines.