How has the expiration of first aid kits changed?

This week's article tells you about how radically the world of first aid kit expiration dates has changed.

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This week’s article tells you about how radically the world of first aid kit expiration dates has changed.To understand the change in the expiration date of PVS first aid kits, it’s necessary to understand which components have changed and what regulations they refer to.

Let’s take a small step back. Originally, the kit was composed, among other products, of PMC. These PMC products, based on their activity and mode of action, are divided into: • disinfectants and substances marketed as germicides or bactericides; • insecticides for domestic and civil use; • insect repellents; • topicides and raticides for non-agricultural use.

PMC respond to a national product classification. Italy, ahead of Europe, had already provided for the regulation of PMC products in 1998, defining them as Medical-surgical Devices (Decree Law 392/1998). PMC is a term that only applies in Italy: a product can be marketed under this term only if authorized by the Ministry of Health. Only the aforementioned authority can assign it a registration number, which must mandatorily appear on the label.

Today, however, the kit contains Biocide products, which have the same functions and active properties as a PMC: it eliminates, renders harmless or prevents the action of micro-organisms considered harmful such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, but also small animals – insects, rodents – through one or more active principles. Unlike PMCs, however, Biocides are regulated at the European level by Reg. 528/2012 which ensures they do not have harmful effects on the environment and human health.

To summarize: due to the transition from PMC to BIOCIDE, the regulation of active ingredients has changed. Consequently, the expiration date has permanently changed from 36 months to 24 months from the production date, as the manufacturers of Povidone-iodine have registered the product as a BIOCIDE.

It should also be considered that the kit contains other products that each have a different expiration date: solids have a 5-year expiration, sterile saline solution 36 months. Consequently, the date of first verification of first aid kits will be conditioned by the expiration of the Povidone-iodine bottle (i.e., 24 months from the production date).

Do you have questions about what you read in this article? If you need clarification or want to ask us for advice, visit the website www.pvs-spa.it and fill out the form to contact us.