Russian Language Update to Standards for Medicines Quality Released

ROCKVILLE, Maryland, November 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- New Volume Includes Added and Revised Standards since First Publication

Dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through public standards to help ensure the quality of medicines, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) last week announced the release of an update to the Russian translation of the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF).

As a nonprofit, scientific organization that develops quality standards for medicines, all standards published in USP-NF support the testing of medicinal products and their ingredients. USP-NF standards for products marketed and manufactured in the U.S. are enforceable by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but are also used by manufacturers, regulators and other organizations around the world.

"Access to scientific information is critical to helping ensure that medicines can be tested for good quality," said Roger L. Williams, M.D., USP's chief executive officer, at the Pharmmedobraschenie Conference on October 26th in Moscow. "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 update was released at the conference.

The initial Russian language translation in 2009 of USP-NF and the translation of the 2011 update were conducted under the direction of GEOTAR-Media, one of the leading publishing companies in the Russian Federation and well known internationally for its translation of major medical works. Since 2009, new and updated information has been added and is reflected in the current official version of USP-NF, and the update to the Russian translation includes many-though not all-monographs, chapters and selected updates that have been published by USP since the earlier volumes were translated. While additions to the Russian translation reflect information and materials helpful for evaluation and decision-making on the part of manufacturers, compounding professionals, conformity assessment bodies, and practitioners, the Russian publication is not designed to meet any regulatory provision that requires compliance with the official version of USP-NF in the U.S. or elsewhere.

Current users of the Russian language translation of USP-NF will automatically receive a copy of the update. For additional information about the Russian publication, visit GEOTAR-Media's website at http://www.geotar.ru. For additional information about USP, please email mediarelations@usp.org.

USP-Advancing Public Health Since 1820

The United States Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention is a scientific, nonprofit, standards-setting organization that advances public health through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods. USP's standards are recognized and used worldwide.  For more information about USP visit http://www.usp.org.

CONTACT: Theresa Laranang-Mutlu
+1-301-816-8167; trl@usp.org