Does Viagra expire? The shelf life of sildenafil

If you only take Viagra or sildenafil occasionally, you are probably wondering whether the expiration date stamped on the medication is legit. Does Viagra actually expire? Unfortunately, the answer is yes, Viagra and sildenafil expire and if you take the med after that date, you may find that it is less effective.

But, let’s be honest–what you really want to know is will anything bad happen if you take your sildenafil (Viagra) after its expiration date? Keep reading to understand what that expiration date actually means and whether it’s safe to take Viagra after it expires. 

Viagra (active ingredient sildenafil citrate) is an FDA-approved oral medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Like all drugs, Viagra has a specific expiration date. Viagra expires two years (24 months) from the date it was manufactured. 

The stability and clinical trial data to support the 24-month expiration date for sildenafil can be found in the documents that the drug manufacturer (Pfizer) provided to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during the review process before Viagra’s approval in 1998. The manufacturer stamps this date, along with the lot number, on the carton or stock bottle, which contains 30 or 100 tablets. 

But what does this date actually mean? In 1979, the FDA began requiring expiration dates on all over-the-counter and prescription drugs. It refers to the date the manufacturer guarantees it will be stable in its original sealed packaging. Once opened, the expiration date may no longer apply. 

Keep in mind that pharmacies usually open Viagra stock bottles and only dispense the number of tablets needed to fill a prescription. Prescribers typically prescribe 6–12 tablets at a time, since most insurance plans, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, set quantity limits on how much Viagra they’ll cover per month. Most insurance plans only cover 6 to 12 tablets per month. Then they typically label your Rx bottle with a one-year expiration date. So, the general “official” rule of thumb is that Viagra expires about one year after your Rx fill date.

That doesn’t mean a drug automatically becomes unsafe once the expiration date has passed. In fact, one study conducted by the US military showed that 88% of 122 tested drugs (that were stored properly, in their original packaging) were still stable and safe for a year or more after their expiration date. As a result, the expiration dates were extended by another 1–5 years (an average of 66 months). Other studies on long-expired drugs have also found that some remain effective even 15 years past their expiration dates. 

So, why such stark differences in these timelines? It’s because a drug’s expiration date is not the same thing as its shelf life. The expiration date is when the manufacturer guarantees a medication’s full potency and safety. "Shelf life," however, is how long the drug stays safe to use overall. Sometimes people misinterpret expiration dates, thinking the medication goes bad right after it expires. In reality, the expiration date simply means there isn’t enough research to confirm the drug’s effectiveness or safety beyond that date.

There aren’t any studies on the maximum shelf life of Viagra, so we don’t know for sure how long it may stay good after its expiration date. 

Sildenafil has an expiration date of two years, meaning the medication’s ingredients may not be chemically potent after that point. The exact shelf life may differ based on factors like the specific sildenafil product, the lot or batch, any preservatives, and storage conditions. 

Most other oral tablet medications are expected to stay safe and effective for around two years. This includes other erectile dysfunction medications, such as Cialis (tadalafil) and vardenafil. Stendra (avanafil) also has a 24-month recommended expiry period. 

Because of the stability uncertainty, the FDA doesn’t recommend using drugs past their expiration dates. There is always the chance that expired medications may be less effective due to a change in chemical composition over time. Medicines exposed to high heat or humidity may have degraded, leading to a weaker active ingredient or different ingredients that may not provide the desired effects.  Risks of bacterial  or fungal contamination could also exist

It’s no different in the case of the brand name or generic version of Viagra. There’s no guarantee that expired Viagra will be as effective as it had been. 

Once your Viagra is past its expiration date, the medication may not work as intended. Erectile dysfunction drugs work by increasing blood flow into the penis’ soft tissues, but this effect may be weakened in expired Viagra tablets since the chemicals have broken down.

As a refresher, the common side effects of Viagra, under normal circumstances, include flushing, headaches, stomach problems, light sensitivity, runny nose, and body aches. But serious side effects can also occur—these include chest pain, erections that last longer than four hours, shortness of breath, and vision changes.   Fortunately, these reactions are rare.

The best way to store Viagra is in a cool, dry place that stays at room temperature. Avoid storing the drug in the bathroom, where it can be exposed to humidity. If stored improperly, Viagra’s ingredients may lose their potency faster, decreasing the effectiveness of the drug and making it expire faster.

Best storage practices for Viagra or sildenafil oral tablets are:

• Keep medication in the container it came in (i.e., your prescription bottle)

• Store the bottle at room temperature, ideally around 77 degrees Fahrenheit; it is also OK if the drug is stored for short periods of time at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Avoid storing in spaces with excess humidity, like bathrooms

• Don’t freeze Viagra

• Keep out of reach of children or pets 

Contact your healthcare provider to get a new prescription if your medication has expired. Don’t flush your expired medications down the toilet. Instead, follow the FDA guidelines and mix your expired Viagra tablets with unpalatable substances like dirt, coffee grounds, or kitty litter. Then place it in a sealed plastic bag and throw it away in your household trash. Alternatively, you can take advantage of drug take-back programs.

• Sildenafil expires two years after the date it’s made by the drug manufacturer and how it’s stored. 

• That said, Viagra tablets aren’t manufactured and dispensed on the same day, so the best practice is to go by the expiration date on your prescription bottle. It’s usually a year after the fill date. 

• If Viagra is expired, don’t take it, since the use of expired Viagra has not been studied. Some medications may remain stable for a long time after their expiration date, but we don’t know if Viagra is one of them. 

• Expired medications may be less potent and might have a higher risk of side effects. 

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

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Current version

November 08, 2024

Written by

Angela Myers

Fact checked by

Peter Schlegel, MD and Patricia Weiser, PharmD

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About the medical reviewers

Peter Schlegel, MD

Peter Schlegel, MD, is a Ro Advisor, board-certified urologist, and internationally acclaimed expert in the treatment of male fertility. For nearly 20 years, Dr. Schlegel served as the chair of Urology at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. He now focuses on providing the best patient care possible for urologic conditions through his private practice.

Patricia Weiser, PharmD

Patricia Weiser, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist, health content writer, and medical reviewer with more than a decade of clinical experience in community and hospital pharmacy.