ABSTRACT
China produces about 15 000 tons of expired drugs every year. Standardized destruction of expired drugs consumes a large number of secondary costs， causing huge economic losses. Improper handling will also lead to serious environmental pollution， endanger national health and even endanger public safety. This paper analyzes the hazards， sources and disposal methods， and research status of expired drugs， introduces the Shelf-Life Extension Program of United States， and put forward feasible measures for the recovery， integration and reuse of expired drugs. It is suggested to construct a scientific and reasonable recovery and disposal system of expired drugs in combination with the actual situation in China， explore the strategy of extending the expiration of drugs， and greatly reduce the waste of drug resources.
