Final answer:
Pharmacies must check for expired medications regularly to ensure safety and effectiveness. Checks are typically done at least once a year. Take-back programs and proper home disposal are also important for medication safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pharmacies must check for expired medications on a regular basis to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the drugs they dispense. The frequency of these checks may vary depending on local regulations and pharmacy policies, but a common practice is to conduct checks at least once a year.
Expired medications can lose their potency or even become harmful over time, so it's important to properly dispose of them. Many pharmacies have take-back programs where patients can return their expired medications for safe disposal. Additionally, patients can also check the expiration dates on their medications at home and promptly discard any that are expired.
Regular checks for expired medications help to prevent the distribution and use of potentially ineffective or dangerous drugs, thus ensuring patient safety.