USP to Help Russians Fight Counterfeit Medicine

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has released an updated Russian translation of its National Formulary at the Russian Pharmmedobraschenie Conference in Moscow on October 26, 2011.

USP is a nonprofit, scientific organization that develops quality standards for medicines.  Its National Formulary publishes standards to support the testing of medicinal products and ingredients.  In the US, USP’s Formulary is the standard for medicine authenticity that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses for enforcement purposes, however manufacturers, regulations and other organizations around the world also use it.

Said Roger L. Williams, M.D. USP’s chief executive officer, at the Pharmmedobraschenie Conference in Moscow, “Access to scientific information is critical to helping ensure that medicines can be tested for good quality. By providing easier access to USP’s standards through Russian and other translations, as well as through important partnerships with Russian bodies like the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation and the Federal Service on Surveillance in Healthcare and Social Development of the Russian Federation (Roszdravnadzor), our organizations are better able to strengthen our collective efforts to protect public health.”

The first Russian language transation of the National Formulary was in 2009.  The new 2011 version adds new and updated information including monographs, chapters and selected updates published by USP since 2009.  The formulary is a respected standard by which counterfeit medications can be tested.

On September 22, 2011, USP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development to improve oversight of adulterated or counterfeit medications.

By S. Imber