Navigating the many nuanced requirements for the proper management, storage, and maintenance of drugs, agents, and other substances used in animal-based research can be challenging and confusing, especially when these supplies are dated.
Many pharmaceutical products have both a standard “Expiration Date” and a “Use-By-Date” (i.e., “Beyond Use Date”), which are often described in the package insert or on the vial. Some products may be formulated by multiple manufacturers with varying or no Use-By-Dates at all.
Regulatory oversight bodies require strict adherence to a product’s Use-By-Date, if provided. Accordingly, no drug can be used in an animal beyond its Use-By-Date.
Dates are generally written in one of two formats:
- “Discard any remaining volume X number of days after initial puncture,” or
- “Discard any remaining volume after X number of punctures.”
To assist Study Teams with product management, the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) has compiled a list of Use-By-Dates for several of the most frequently used anesthetic and analgesic drugs in animal research.
The list can be found on the Drug Management page (formerly “Drug Ordering”) of the Animal Care & Use Program website. Note: This list is NOT exhaustive and information may change on a regular basis. While our Program will make every effort to keep information updated, the Beyond Use Dates for Frequently Used Anesthetic and Analgesic Drugs Table should NOT be saved as a permanent reference document.
When receiving drugs or other substances, please review all manufacturer-provided information carefully and label materials appropriately. Detailed labeling and storage instructions can be found in the Policy on the Use, Storage, and Expiration of Substances, Agents, and Medical Materials Used in Animals and the Guidelines for the Storage of Sterile Items.
Where to Learn More
This information will be discussed in greater detail during upcoming check-in meetings hosted by ULAM Faculty Veterinarians. For convenience, in-person and hybrid meetings have been scheduled at multiple campus locations spanning several days and times in mid-May.
The complete list of meetings is available at animalcare.umich.edu/spring2025-ulam-meetings using valid U-M login credentials.
While one member from each laboratory is encouraged to attend the meeting hosted by their facility’s ULAM Faculty Veterinarian, participants are welcome to attend the meeting that best fits their schedule.
Questions or concerns about Beyond Use Dates, or the use of specific drugs and other medical materials in animals, should be directed to your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian. If you don’t know your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian, please send an email to [email protected] and your question will be routed appropriately.