We’ve all been there in a desperate moment – our head is pounding, our child spiked a fever or had an allergy attack – but the only meds we can find in the cabinet are old and expired.

If you’re like me, you’re inclined to use them and cross your fingers, hoping for the best.

Is that really the right thing to do, though, or can taking expired medications cause more harm than good?

According to the FDA’s website, the answer is simple: if your medicine has expired, do not use it. Once the expiration date has passed there is no guarantee that the medicine will be safe and effective.”

That said, hospital pharmacist Dr. James Reissig says “very few medications become toxic when they are past their expiration date. Most simply lose effectiveness over time due to changes in chemical composition.”

That said, the FDA argues that doesn’t mean taking expired meds is risk free.

“Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth and sub-potent antibiotics can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance.”

This includes medications like insulin and epinephrine, both of which likely lose significant effectiveness after their expiration dates. Since these medications are used to prevent a serious emergency, it’s risky to trust them past their use-by dates.

If you have a bunch of expired meds, you do need to dispose of them correctly.

While some can be flushed, the best thing to do is drop them off at a local location that accepts them for disposal. There are also places you can mail them in a drug mail-back envelopes that can be picked up at your local pharmacy.

It’s best to not take chances with things like your health.

Even if you are feeling so poorly you’ll try just about anything.

If you think that’s impressive, check out this story about a “goldmine” of lithium that was found in the U.S. that could completely change the EV battery game.