This unexpected health risk is a new challenge for astronauts leaving for a mission to Mars
Space exploration has come a long way from the days when astronauts defied risks and ventured into the cosmos to set foot on the moon. Since then they have refused to let failed missions and tragic accidents stop them from studying the universe. Technical hindrances in space missions are not unheard of, but now researchers have found a new kind of snag since many of the medicines meant for astronauts are likely to expire before they return to Earth from Mars. Researchers say that a host of medicines used in space have a shelf life of only three years or less, which is a problem for the mission to Mars since it may take 36 months.
Dr Dan Buckland, the senior study author from Duke University School of Medicine, said that on Earth, expired medication was usually less effective. "The risk is that an illness later in a Mars mission would end up with a greater severity than had it occurred earlier in the mission before the medication has expired," he said.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean the medicines won't work, but in the same way you shouldn’t take expired medications you have lying around at home, space exploration agencies will need to plan on expired medications being less effective," Dr Buckland added.
Dr Buckland along with his colleagues used the Freedom of Information Act to request data and gather a list of medications onboard the International Space Station. He then collaborated with lead study author Thomas E Diaz, who is a pharmacy resident at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, to study the medication's expiry date and revealed that this could pose a challenge to astronauts heading to Mars on their way back.
According to this study, about 60% of these medicines will expire before the mission ends. "Tom reached out with the idea, knowing my work on risk mitigation for extended spaceflight," said Buckland. "He was concerned that not enough research addressed the problem of medication longevity on a Mars mission."
It's important to note that NASA was not involved in this study in any capacity. “Those responsible for the health of space flight crews will have to find ways to extend the expiration of medications to complete a Mars mission duration of three years, select medications with longer shelf-lives, or accept the elevated risk associated with administering expired medication,” the study concluded.
The researchers also added that there are other risks associated with the health of astronauts that the study has not considered, such as the drugs losing their potency over time.
According to a study, astronauts are already putting their lives at risk when they leave for a space program, and while humans have learned how to live in weightlessness, readapting to Earth's gravity is problematic. Other issues include space radiation, isolation as well as confinement. There are many health risks of space travel especially during long trips to Mars which is why it's crucial to understand the risks associated. For instance, studies show that space radiation is directly linked to cancer as well as problems with vision.