Pharmacy chain CVS's store in Connecticut is been sued for allegedly selling expired over the counter drugs and other products. According to Connecticut Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, his office investigation uncovered foods, beverages, over the country medications and other products that were beyond their expiration date, on sale in more than 20 CVS stores in Connecticut in 2008 and 2009. His office has therefore filed a lawsuit against CVS pharmacy Inc.

Mr. Blumenthal has promised that his office will ask for strict penalties against CVS. These penalties will send a strong message to other pharmacies that foods, products and drugs must never be kept beyond their expiry date, and that items that have passed their expiration date, must be removed off the shelves.

For CVS, it's not the first time it has found itself in trouble over the sale of expired products. Earlier this month, the pharmacy chain agreed to pay $875,000 in penalties, costs and fees because of the sale of expired products in its stores in New York. Under that settlement, CVS also agreed to adopt policies designed to prevent products past their expiration date, from being stored on its shelves. These methods and policies include specialized training for pharmacy employees, designed to prevent stocking of expired products. CVS pharmacy says it has strong policies in place at all of its stores to ensure that products past their expiration dates are removed from store shelves. The company said it's too early to commend on Blumenthal allegations.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo last year also conducted a similar investigation into the presence of expired products at another pharmacy chain, Rite Aid Corporation. Under that agreement, Rite Aid agreed to pay $1.3 million, and also agreed to implement enhanced protocols to prevent such incidences.

Products that are past their expiration date if sold to customers can cause potentially seriously health complications and injuries. Customers who purchase these products are not always likely to check for expiration dates, and any consumption of such products could be dangerous.

Not all expired products can be harmful to people who take them. In fact, some drugs may have no adverse impact if taken past their expired date. However, medical records have documented some very serious effects of taking certain expired dugs like Tetracycline. To be on the safe side, it's always advisable to throw out any expired medicines that you have.


Tom Smith, freelance writer specialized in writing articles on topics like Cialis, Generic Drugs, Generic Pharmacy, Cheap Generic Viagra, and other related topics.