The United States Pharmacopeia is officially opening its newest international site in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Shanghai.
The United States Pharmacopeia is a private, non-profit, standards-setting organization that advances public health by ensuring the quality and consistency of medicines, promoting the safe and proper use of medications, and verifying ingredients in dietary supplements.
To commemorate the opening of the site, a delegation of USP executives, including Dr. Roger L. Williams, executive vice president and CEO; John Fowler, chief global services officer; and Dr. John Hu, international vice president-China, will join the State Food and Drug Administration, Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission, National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products, Shanghai municipal government, Shanghai Food and Drug Administration and Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provincial drug control institutes, as well as representatives from Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, Chinese Medical Association, Chinese Non-Prescription Medicines Association, Chinese Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment R&D-based Pharmaceutical Association Committee, Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association and U.S. Consulate General for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the facility.
"This new site demonstrates USP's commitment to ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and food ingredients for everyone, regardless of geographic, economic or political borders," said Dr. Williams. "As the world continues to focus on these issues, it is even more important for standards-setting bodies and governments to collaborate. This office and laboratory facility will help USP work with Chinese regulators and manufacturers to move toward that goal."
The USP-China facility will provide local manufacturers with better access to USP's publications and reference standards as well as other related services. USP's reference standards are used to help assure quality through testing to assess whether an article conforms to the published standards in the United States Pharmacopeia and the National Formulary.
The new facility, which is approximately 10,500 square feet, has both state-of-the-art office and laboratory space, and is ideally located near many of USP's key pharmaceutical clients. Dr. Hu oversees the facility and has hired approximately 19 people to work in the facility.
USP-China will further expand USP's capacity to reach those in the more than 130 countries around the world that rely upon USP standards. USP also operates facilities in Hyderabad, India and Basel, Switzerland, and has plans to open a site in Brazil.
