Expiration dates change from time to time
Over the last few months the actual expiration dates have changed in some companies, so before you throw the test in the trash it is important to make sure that it is no longer relevant – there is an option on the FDA website to check each model for its updated date. A BinaxNOW kit, for example, was originally marketed with a shelf life of 12 months, which has since been extended to 15 months. Similarly, iHealth kits started with a six-month expiration date that was recently increased to nine months.
The reason for the changes in dates lies in the fact that the way to actually find out the validity of the tests is to wait for the months to pass so that the test makers can conduct stability studies and prove that the tests are still working over time. When the product was first marketed, the companies announced a relatively early expiration date, to make sure the test would indeed provide reliable results.
As a result, a home test may have a six-month expiration date when it is first approved, but as time goes on and data accumulates so may its shelf life lengthen. This means that there is a good chance that you have a home inspection that has expired “on paper” but in practice it is still relevant. “When the test is new, it has an expiration of about six months,” Dr. Mina Michael, an expert in home testing technology, told the New York Times. “But once it reaches six months, the FDA may extend it. It happens a lot, and it’s very confusing. ”
“The reality is that these tests are very, very stable. My expectation is that most, if not all, will eventually have an expiration date of at least two years.”
Is it possible to use a home test after the expiration date?
If the test result is important to you, you will probably want to be sure of the result and use an expired kit. Sheldon Campbell, a laboratory testing specialist and professor of pathology at Yale Medical School, believes that if the test had only passed about a week from its expiration date, he would probably have used it. It’s with the warning that if I came out negative and I was afraid I was infected then I would undergo a re-examination. And if it was positive, then I would probably treat it as a positive result for all intents and purposes, “Campbell said in an interview with huffpost, noting that he too Their expiration.
How to store test kits?
The expiration date of the test kit is not the only factor that may affect its quality, storage is also important. Estimates are only valid if they are stored properly, and they can spoil quickly if they reach a very cold or very hot environment. According to the guidelines, the tests should be stored at a temperature of between 2 and 30 degrees Celsius, or between 35 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition, in each test kit make sure that the package is sealed and not opened before and of course check the expiration date on the kit and on the updated FDA website.