Rockville, Md., June 19, 2009 — As part of its efforts to improve the quality of medicines and food ingredients worldwide, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention this week reached three new cooperative agreements with Chinese drug control authorities. Because Chinese manufacturers supply so much of the world’s drug and food ingredients, these agreements—coupled with three previous agreements between USP and other government organizations in China—mark a significant commitment to ensure that concerns about quality are addressed. USP is a scientific, nonprofit organization that sets standards for the quality of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. USP also sets standards for the quality of food ingredients and dietary supplements; these and USP’s drug standards are used in more than 130 countries.

At a June 18 ceremony in Guangzhou, China, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Guangzhou Municipal Institute of Drug Control, Roger L. Williams, M.D., USP’s chief executive officer, said, “I am impressed at the energy and commitment of the Chinese people as they work to bring good quality medicines to consumers and patients in China and around the world. We are united in that goal.” Mr. Yingqiao Jiang, head of the Guangzhou Institute, observed, “Chinese manufacturers share that commitment with regulatory bodies such as the Guangzhou Institute and organizations like USP. We are pleased to work together to help ensure the quality of medicines and their ingredients.”

Earlier this week, USP also signed MOUs with the Beijing Municipal Institute of Drug Control and the Zhejiang Institute for Food and Drug Control. All are focused on strengthening the relationships through such initiatives as scientist exchange programs, joint standards- and testing-related work, and other projects to improve drug quality that will benefit from the expertise of both parties.

As a result of a 2008 agreement, USP and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission (ChP) agreed this week to jointly develop standards for active pharmaceutical ingredients that have been singled out by the U.S. FDA and China State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) as being especially important to help ensure quality medicines for patients and practitioners.

Based in the United States, USP has offices and laboratories in Shanghai, China; Hyderabad, India; and São Paulo, Brazil; USP also has offices in Basel, Switzerland. USP has formed similar partnerships in support of good quality medicines and food ingredients in these and other countries throughout the world.