Patients should resist urge to keep expired EpiPens

CHARLOTTE — Deena Phimvongsa is allergic to shellfish, tree nuts, and even alcohol, so she has EpiPens for emergencies.

Each costs her about $250, so she keeps them past the expiration dates.  One expired in 2016.

Action 9 asked her if she feels like she's "playing with fire."   "Yes.  The more I think about it," she said.  "Now that I'm thinking about it, yeah, I do feel that way."

And, now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared a shortage of the drug.

So, patients may decide to hold on to theirs longer.

Action 9 took a deeper look at EpiPens and their expiration dates.  Last year, this study found EpiPens do keep a lot of their potency after they expire, even years after.

But Charlotte allergist Dr. Maeve O'connor says don't gamble.  "I actually have a true story of a patient who used an expired epinephrine auto-injector after being stung by a bee," she said.  "It did not work.  The second expired one helped."  O'Connor says the woman was able to get to an ambulance and survived.  "She was very lucky, and I would not recommend it."

And there's even more reason not to risk it.  There are more options on market right now: EpiPens, generic EpiPens, Adrenaclick, and Auvi-Q.

And there are more deals.  For example, you don't have to pay a co-pay for Auvi-Q.

But it's very important to remember each device works differently.  So, if you're used to EpiPen and you switch to one of those other brands, make sure you know how to use it before you have to.

Cox Media Group