What happens if you take expired Viagra? Most likely it works less well — and it should not be taken. Medicines break down over time, so an out-of-date tablet may be weaker, and healthdirect adds that a change in its chemical make-up can make an old medicine dangerous. The Viagra leaflet says plainly not to take it after the expiry date; take old tablets to a pharmacy instead, free of charge.
Does expired Viagra still work?
It may, but there is no guarantee. "Medicines lose their effectiveness over time because they are made up of chemicals that break down as time passes" (healthdirect). An expired sildenafil tablet may simply be weaker — and because a weaker dose can look like "Viagra has stopped working", it can tempt men to take a second tablet, which is never safe: no more than one sildenafil tablet in 24 hours (healthdirect).
Is expired Viagra dangerous?
It can be. Out-of-date medicines "may also become dangerous due to a change in their chemical makeup" (healthdirect). There is no study showing what an expired sildenafil tablet does, which is exactly why the Australian consumer medicine information says: do not take it after the expiry date printed on the pack (Viagra CMI).
Where is the expiry date, and how should Viagra be stored?
The expiry date is printed on the pack. Store Viagra below 30°C, in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat and sunlight, and keep the tablets in their pack until you take them (Viagra CMI). A bathroom cabinet or a car glovebox is the wrong place: heat and damp speed up the breakdown. Keep all medicines locked away and out of reach of children (healthdirect).
What should you do with expired Viagra?
Return it to your local pharmacy. It is free, and pharmacies put returned medicines in special bins for safe disposal; flushing medicines or throwing them in the rubbish can be dangerous and harms the environment (healthdirect). Most Australian pharmacies take part in the Return Unwanted Medicines project.
What about expired Cialis?
The same rules apply to tadalafil — see can expired Cialis still work? The Cialis leaflet asks for storage below 25°C (Cialis CMI).
Could it be a fake rather than an old tablet?
If tablets that used to work no longer do, an expiry date is one explanation; a counterfeit is another. Some pills bought online do not contain the medicine they claim, or contain an unknown dose (healthdirect). How to tell is covered in how to identify real and fake Viagra.
The short answer
Expired Viagra is likely to be weaker and could be unsafe, so do not take it: return it to a pharmacy for free disposal, and store your next pack below 30°C in a dry place. More on using ED medicines safely is in our safety guide.
