In keeping with the regulatory requirements of Policy #3 of the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal Care Policies, outdated medical materials such as drugs, fluids, sutures, etc. cannot be used in animals undergoing survival procedures or experiments.  Expired materials must be discarded OR labeled as expired and stored in a location that is physically separated from non-expired medical materials. 

For acute terminal procedures expired medical materials may be used at the investigator's discretion so long as their use does not adversely affect the animal's well being or compromise the scientific validity of the study. 

Drugs that are used to relieve pain or distress including those used to provide euthanasia and drugs used to treat emergency medical conditions must not be used beyond their expiration date in any case.

IACUC.SOP.Approved-03/02