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Why do lancets have an expiry date?

douglas99 said:
Fortunately, manufacturers have a standard to work to, as do all manufacturers of medical appliances.
I don't think I'd do better making my own risk assessment, and I probably wouldn't advise others to, even if I did.
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But you make several risk assessments every day of your life. Everyone does, whether it be crossing the road, driving. In arriving at your way of managing your diabetes, you have made several risk assessments to get there.

However, I'm dipping out of this thread now, or I'll have to tick myself off for taking it off-topic.
 
I would still sooner rely on prophylaxis, prevention is better than cure.

The opening question seems to have manifold answers I will go with the reduction in risk of infection.
 
JohnEGreen said:
I would still sooner rely on prophylaxis, prevention is better than cure.

The opening question seems to have manifold answers I will go with the reduction in risk of infection.
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Are you sure?
You can still go 50/50 or "phone a friend!"

 
Having worked in the medical devices industry for many years I can tell you that a company have to prove a device stays sterile for a certain period. With some products the packaging may break down after a couple of years. With lancets the plastic could become brittle after a few years. It is unlikely that a use by date will be more than five years.
 
The nurse asked me how often I change my lancet and I told her about every couple of weeks or if it got a bit sore, she told me she wants me to change it every day (its a new nurse to the practice) even though I get everything for free, I still feel every day is to much.

I just checked the box of lancets I have here, It's the same box of 200 I got 10 years ago, expiry date June 2014
 
JohnEGreen said:
Yes I'm sure and the friend I would call if I needed to would be my old anatomy tutor who now earns his living as a podiatric surgeon amputating the infected limbs of diabetics who have not taken sufficient care.
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Yes, on a forum for a disease that is known to cause problems with extremities, ulceration, soft tissue damage, etc, it does seem to be a counterproductive to encourage using out of date lancets, when it's easy enough to use in date ones.
 
Just looked at my box of multiclix lancets and still got one tray in the box full
And the other still has 7 in it. Expiry date 11/2015.
Only went to see if ai had another stabber ss the one I'm using doesnt click properly to load it anymore.

Now going to finally start the fast clix that came with the expert meter.

Dont suppose anybody wants 3/4 box of out of date lancets?
 
Because as it says, they just expire.
 
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