What is the difference between expiry date and manufacturing date?
Quick answer: The manufacturing date (MFG) is when the medicine was made. The expiry date (EXP) is the last date the manufacturer guarantees the medicine's full strength and safety, if stored as directed. If the pack shows only a month and year, such as 07/2027, it is good through the last day of that month. Do not use a medicine after its expiry date.
- MFG → When was it made?
- EXP → Until when can I trust it?
- Batch number → Which production batch is this?
Your medicine pack is hiding a tiny clock
Turn over any medicine pack and you will find a tiny stamped clock near an edge or on the bottom. Three short codes tell the story: MFG (made), EXP (expires) and B.No. (which batch).
Look at the edge of a strip, the end flap of a box, or the bottom or label of a bottle. Use good light; if you cannot read the date, ask your pharmacist instead of guessing.
Tap the 3 codes
Found: 0/3
Tania's medicine drawer: a short story
Tania was cleaning her mother's medicine drawer. She found a strip whose EXP month had passed three months ago, eye drops opened long ago with an EXP still in the future, and a box whose date print had rubbed off.
The pharmacist explained: do not use the expired strip; check the use-after-opening limit for the eye drops; never guess an unreadable date. Keep medicines in their original packs and check the drawer every few months.
A medicine pack has a clock on it, and it is worth reading.
Three items, three decisions
EXP passed
Expired: do not use.
Opened long ago
Check use-after-opening limit; ask the pharmacist.
Print rubbed off
No readable date: do not guess; ask.
What is a manufacturing date (MFG)?
The manufacturing date is printed as MFG, Mfg. Date or Manu. Date. It tells you when that batch was made. It is not a deadline. Use it to work out how old a pack is, but decide whether to use the medicine by its expiry date and storage—not by how new it looks.
What is an expiry date (EXP) and what does 07/2027 mean?
The expiry date is printed as EXP, Exp. Date, Use before or Use by. It is the last date the manufacturer guarantees the medicine's full strength and safety when stored as directed. Manufacturers set it using stability testing.
The month-year rule: If only a month and year are printed, the medicine is good through the last day of that month. A pack marked 07/2027 is good through 31 July 2027.
| What is printed | How to read it | Last day to use |
|---|---|---|
| 07/2027 | Month / year | 31 July 2027 |
| JUL 2027 | Month name and year | 31 July 2027 |
| 2027-07 | Year, then month | 31 July 2027 |
| 15/07/2027 | Day / month / year | 15 July 2027 |
| 2027-07-15 | Year-month-day | 15 July 2027 |
Packs can use different formats. If a date looks ambiguous, such as 02/04, ask your pharmacist before using the medicine.
07/2027 means the last day of July
Good through 31 July.
From 1 August: do not use.
Date decoder
What is a batch number?
The batch number appears as B.No., Batch No. or Lot. It identifies the production batch. If there is a quality problem or recall, it helps trace affected packs. If you report a medicine problem, keep the pack or note the batch number, MFG date and EXP date.
How the dates fit together: the two-clock timeline
The time between MFG and EXP is the medicine's shelf life. It varies by product. Eye drops, syrups, powders mixed with water and creams in jars can have a shorter use-after-opening limit. If that limit comes sooner than the printed EXP, the sooner date wins.
Whichever comes first
Can I use medicine after the expiry date?
Short answer: no. After the expiry date the manufacturer can no longer guarantee strength or safety. A medicine may lose strength, and you cannot tell by looking or smelling. Old liquids, eye drops, injections and medicines for serious conditions can carry extra risk.
Ask your pharmacy how to dispose of expired medicine safely, and keep it out of children's reach until it is gone.
How to store medicine at home: 5 rules
The expiry date only holds if medicine is stored as directed. Heat, humidity and light can spoil it earlier.
- Keep it in the original pack with the leaflet, so dates and instructions stay with it.
- Choose a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
- Avoid bathrooms, stoves, sunny windowsills and parked cars.
- Follow the label. If it says below 30°C, protect from light or refrigerate, follow it.
- Keep it out of children's reach with lids closed, ideally in a locked box.
Good spot / bad spot house map
Tap a spot to see why.
The 4-step medicine pack check
Before taking medicine, spend ten seconds on these four steps:
- Find EXP. Apply the month-year rule.
- Check the after-opening limit. Look for a use-within line on drops, syrups, mixed liquids and jar creams.
- Look at the pack and medicine. A broken seal, damage, melting, colour change or strange smell is a reason to stop.
- Ask when unsure. Your pharmacist can check a date you cannot read.
While you have the pack in hand, also read the generic name and brand name on the label.
Pack check checklist
Completed: 0/4
Easy tricks to remember
MFG = Made (তৈরি), EXP = End (শেষ)।
Month and year only? EXP means the end of that month.
Printed EXP and use-after-opening limit: obey whichever comes first.
Made? Ends? Batch? Three codes, three questions.
Cannot read the date? Ask.
Manufactured
End of month
Sooner date wins
Three codes
Ask a pharmacist
Test yourself: 3-question quiz
Q1. A pack says EXP 11/2027. What is the last day to use it?
Q2. Which code is the last date the manufacturer guarantees strength and safety?
Q3. Eye drops were opened 40 days ago; the label says use within 28 days. What now?
5 myths about medicine dates
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| A month-and-year date means it expires on the 1st. | No. It is good through the last day of that month. |
| The MFG date tells me when to throw it away. | No. Follow EXP and any after-opening limit. |
| If it looks fine, it is fine after expiry. | No. Loss of strength cannot be seen or smelled. |
| The fridge makes a medicine last past its date. | No. Store as directed; storage does not extend the date. |
| Printed EXP always applies after opening drops or syrups. | No. A shorter use-after-opening limit may apply. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between expiry date and manufacturing date?
MFG is when the medicine was made. EXP is the last date the manufacturer guarantees full strength and safety if stored as directed.
What does EXP 07/2027 mean on a medicine?
It is good through 31 July 2027.
Can I use medicine after the expiry date?
No. Replace it and ask your pharmacist if unsure.
What does the batch number on medicine mean?
It identifies the production batch so packs can be traced during a quality problem or recall.
How long is a medicine good after opening?
It depends on the product. Follow the label's shorter use-after-opening limit; ask a pharmacist if unclear.
Where is the expiry date on a medicine pack?
Usually on a strip edge, box flap, or bottle bottom/label. Check in good light.
Why do medicines expire?
The active ingredient can break down over time, especially with heat, humidity and light.
How should I dispose of expired medicine?
Ask your pharmacy about safe disposal and keep it away from children until then.
Safety check
Do not use a medicine after expiry, if the pack is damaged, or if it looks, smells or feels wrong. A medicine that looks fine may still have lost strength. Ask a pharmacist or doctor if unsure about a date or storage rule.
Key takeaways
- MFG = when it was made. EXP = the last trusted date.
- Month and year only? Good through the last day of that month.
- Opened drops, syrups and jar creams may have a shorter limit.
- Store in the original pack, cool and dry, away from sun and children.
- Never guess an unreadable date. Ask a pharmacist.
🛡 Fact-checked
| Statement | Status | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| EXP is the last date full strength and safety are guaranteed if stored as directed | Verified | U.S. FDA expiration-date information |
| Month-year date is good through the last day of the month | Verified | Standard pharmacy guidance |
| Batch numbers help trace packs in quality issues or recalls | Verified | Manufacturing and recall traceability |
| Opened products can have a shorter limit | Check the pack | Product labels and leaflets |
| Heat, humidity and light can shorten useful life | Verified | Stability principles |
Last reviewed: October 2026.
References
- U.S. FDA: Don't Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines
- World Health Organization: official health guidance
- The leaflet and label of the medicine itself
Educational content only; it does not replace individual medical advice. Examples are illustrative and may vary by product and country. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about any specific medicine.
Sayedul Abrar
A Grade Pharmacist · Registration Code: A-22040
Product Executive, Product Management Department · Opsonin Pharma Ltd.
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