The administration and/or use of expired drugs and other substances not only endangers animal welfare but could also compromise the validity of your results. Given the seriousness of these concerns and the potential for resulting non-compliance, the Animal Care & Use Program is announcing the first annual GOLD Day.
Happening on Friday, May 5, 2023, GOLD Day is a unique opportunity for laboratories to set aside dedicated time for personnel to Go Organize, Label, and Dispose of drugs, medical materials, surgical supplies, and other substances administered to – or used in – ANY animal procedure.
Use the following to help structure your GOLD Day activities and ensure adherence to all policies, standards, and guidelines that govern the appropriate storage, use, and disposal of drugs and other medical materials in animal research.
GOLD Day Resources
- Items must be clearly labeled as expired AND segregated from non-expired items until they can be appropriately discarded (see Dispose tab below)
- All drugs and other medical materials (including biologics, fluids, vehicles, supplies, etc.) must be stored in accordance with:
- Manufacturer recommendations
- U-M requirements
- State of Michigan/DEA regulations (where applicable)
- Requirements for securely storing controlled substances can be found on the Controlled Substances in Research Monitoring Program website
- Create and maintain a regular (e.g., monthly) schedule for reviewing substance expiration dates in your laboratory
- Assign an individual, or individuals, in your laboratory with the routine monitoring and organization of substances, including a regular check of expiration dates. This individual should also serve as the point person for questions or concerns others in your laboratory may have about all applicable policies and procedures
Download the recently updated Quick Reference Sheet: Monitoring Expired Drugs & Medical Materials for additional suggestions and best practices on developing a system to monitor expired materials in your laboratory.
- Ensure that all sutures and dated medical supplies are within their expiration date OR segregated AND clearly labeled for in-vitro or terminal use only
- Check that all drugs, pharmaceuticals, and medical materials are current with labels that clearly indicate expiration dates
- Some pharmaceutics (e.g., items removed from their original container for dilution or combination with other agents) may have a “Use By Date” that differs from the product’s original expiration date. When a product’s shelf life is modified (i.e., shortened) based on when the product is opened for use/dilution, use whichever date (either “Use By Date” or “Original Expiration Date”) occurs FIRST to determine the product’s expiration
- For supplies that do not have expiration dates, consider writing ‘No Exp’ on the bottle or package to easily identify these materials
For detailed labeling and storage instructions, review the following documents:
- Review the EHS Hazardous Waste website for instructions and guidelines on the proper disposal of regulated waste, including:
- Chemical waste
- Radioactive waste
- Biological waste
- Universal waste
- To request waste pick up or supplies, contact EHS Hazardous Materials Management at (734) 763-4568 or complete an online Waste and Supply Request Form
- Information about the proper disposal of select substances in sanitary drains can be found in the EHS Criteria to Dispose Substances in Sanitary Drains document
- Instructions for proper sharps disposal in animal care facilities can be found in the Sharps Disposal Procedures SOP on the Animal Care A-Z website
- Required documentation and disposal steps for controlled substances are available via the Controlled Substances Monitoring Program website
In the weeks following GOLD Day on Friday, May 5, 2023, laboratories can expect walkthroughs of many animal care facilities to ‘spot check’ progress on the activities referenced above and to assess overall preparedness for the upcoming AAALAC Site Visit.
Questions?
Members of the Animal Care & Use Team, along with many campus partners, are available to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the appropriate use of drugs and other substances in animal procedures.
- Contact the Quality Assurance Team ([email protected]) for assistance with establishing a system to monitor for expired drugs and other medical materials in your laboratory
- Specific questions about the proper use of drugs and other medical materials in animals should be directed to your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian
- To request waste pick up or supplies, contact EHS Hazardous Materials Management at (734) 763-4568 or complete an online Waste and Supply Request Form
- Questions about proper disposal of controlled substances should be directed to [email protected]
Thank you for taking an active role in safeguarding animal welfare by ensuring that NO EXPIRED SUBSTANCES are administered to – or used in – animals for ANY veterinary procedure.