SINOPSIS

Developing countries frequently suffer from a shortage of medicines and medical sup-lies. Many international organizations have responded to this need by donating medicines that have surpassed their expiry limits and are non-compliant with the standards in donor countries. This practice received praise for its humanitarianism but also aroused concern and criticism regarding the possible impact of subpar medication on human lives. Charitable actions are not free from ethical constraints; therefore, care must be taken in balancing beneficence with non-maleficence. A policy firmly rooted in facts and guided by a moral compass can greatly benefit millions of people who have limited access to medical care. In this article, we explore the protocols by which the expiry dates are set, their relationship to the efficacy of the drugs, stability of the drugs during shipment and storage, as well as parallel protocols and standards of care in the recipient countries.