system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Do prescription pills/medications really expire on the date said on the bottle?

Or is it just a scam to keep pharmaceutical companies turning more profits from people throwing medicines away on the expiration date?
gpt
It is definitely not a scam, over time the chemicals that make up the pill/medicine will degrade. How long it takes the medication to degrade will entirely depend on what medication it is, as some compounds will be more stable than others. 

Of course this isn't a black and white issue, it's not as if the day the expiration date rolls around the entire bottle of medication instantly degrades and becomes unusable. That being said, if you medication has expired its probably always best to dispose of it properly and then replace it.