In recent years the US Pharmacopeia (USP) has taken steps to extend its global reach, opening offices in Brazil, China and India, and this is continuing into Eastern Europe and Russia.
To raise global pharma standards the USP has entered into an agreement with the Ukraine Scientific Pharmacopeial Centre for the Quality of Medicines (the Centre). The agreement covers the sharing of standards for the quality, purity, strength and identity of medicines.
Under the terms of the deal, the Centre will have a five-year, renewable right to include USP – National Formulary (USP-NF) written standards in the Ukraine Pharmacopoeia and its companion journal, Pharmacom.
The Centre has the right to modify the standards to better suite its needs or use them as an exact translation. Roger Williams, CEO of the USP, said that the deal will benefit Ukrainian pharma manufacturers looking to export. Ukrainian citizens will also benefit from the deal, said Williams.
In turn, the exchange of knowledge and expertise will benefit the USP and improve the strength of the standards published in the USP-NF.
Training in Russia
In April 2009 the USP entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Roszdravnadzor, the Russian healthcare and social development body.
Some aspects of this agreement have been delivered. The USP has conducted eight courses in Moscow on key issues relating to the quality of medicines, attracting about 100 Russian specialists.
Content delivered at the courses has been developed through cooperation between the USP and Roszdravnadzor. Future collaborations under the MOU are anticipated.