# New Insulin, but not expiration date?

**URL:** <https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insulin-but-not-expiration-date/3947>\
**Category:** Insulin\
**Created:** [April 26, 2018, 12:31am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insulin-but-not-expiration-date/3947 "2018-04-26T00:31:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ClaudnDaye](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/claudndaye/32/5_2.png) [@ClaudnDaye](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/ClaudnDaye)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 12:31am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insulin-but-not-expiration-date/3947/1 "2018-04-26T00:31:18Z")

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Today we picked up Liam’s supplies for the next 90 days and I was labeling my very cool insulin case (thanks @Chris) for the 5 Novolog pens I received, then I noticed the brand new insulin pens we received had an expiration date of 09/19. I started labeling the paper with the dot notation and all then I suddenly realized that the 5 pens we had picked up 90 days ago expired on 01/20.

Is this normal??? Has anyone else received new supplies that had expiration dates ending sooner than some other older supplies you had received earlier?

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**Author:** ![elver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/elver/32/8772_2.png) [@elver](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/elver)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insulin-but-not-expiration-date/3947/2 "2018-04-26T02:26:17Z")

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@ClaudnDaye it does happen. The two main reasons are: 1) poor warehouse rotation, not utilizing FIFO procedures and, 2) many pharmacies in the US utilize multiple Wholesale Distribution middlemen when purchasing product. They all have sales/spiffs on competing products and the supply chain gets muddled. For example: I purchase (as a pharmacist) 10 vials of Humalog from wholesaler A regularly. It costs me $100/vial and I rebill as much as I think I can get with the insurance negotiated pricing. The next day I goo to purchase the same 10 vials, and wholesaler C has a deal whereby I make and additional $20/vial profit on the negotiated rate, so today I buy it there. The game continues on a daily basis with purchasing volumes, a wholesalers desire to lock a pharmacist into a supply contract and many other variables that affect the pharmacists cost each and every day.

Because of these buying practices, wholesaler C is having that great sale today, because the insulin is short coded, meaning the shelf life is nearing expiration. The pharmacist looks at the RX, and its a 3 month fill, so any code beyond that timeline is moot. Wholesaler A is $3.vial more expensive but the code is a year longer.