USP hosts international exchange on public quality standards for medicines and foods

The US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has welcomed representatives from 17 international regulatory and enforcement agencies and national reference laboratories to its International Training Programme (ITP). Delegations from countries in the Middle East, Africa, Russia and the former Soviet Republics gained knowledge about USP processes and standards-setting activities for chemical and biological medicines, as well for herbal medicines, dietary supplements and foods.

“Public standards are critically important to help ensure the quality of all medicines,” said Roger L Williams, Chief Executive Officer, USP. “The international training programme is a unique opportunity not only for countries interested in improving their health systems and regulatory framework, but also for USP to expand its understanding of regulatory and compendial issues from an international perspective.”

The programme includes speakers from the US Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, and USP. Speakers will address enforcement and scientific aspects of implementing public standards, and how the global market is influencing the regulation of medicines and dietary supplements, as well as healthcare quality and safety, quality assurance, and global health programmes.

“With manufacture and commercialisation increasingly crossing borders in the international landscape, it is important to consider the need to exchange information with other regulatory and scientific organisations around the globe,” said Fahad Ibrahim Al-Jenoobi, Executive Director for the Product Evaluation and Standards Setting division of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. “USP is one step ahead in contributing to improving health systems by providing the opportunity to openly discuss the issues involved in supplying good quality medicines.”

EP News Bureau – Mumbai