It is important to keeping an eye on insulin and establish a routine surrounding insulin use, this will help ensure the product stays potent and stable. The first thing a person with diabetes should do is check the insulin's expiration date, even before leaving the pharmacy. Drug companies and the FDA are very conservative with the dates. This means they tend set expiration date at the earliest time the insulin could possibly go bad, and sometimes even earlier. Expiration dates and storage guidelines are based on stability data obtained for batches of each formulation of insulin.
Dates are valid as long as the insulin is kept stored under the correct conditions.
You should never use insulin after the expiration date printed on the label and the carton. If you get your insulin home and discover the expiration date has passed, you should return it to the pharmacy immediately for replacement. Examine the Insulin Insulin vials should be visually examined before injecting it. Before each use of insulin, the vial or cartridge should be inspected for any changes, making sure that there should be no clumping, frosting, precipitation or changes in color or clarity in the vial. Such changes may indicate a loss in potency of insulin.