USP Offers New Compounding Compendium; Convenient Access to Quality Standards for Specially Prepared Medicines
Rockville, Maryland (PRWEB) November 13, 2014 -- A new publication designed to provide easy access to quality related standards for compounded medicines is now available from the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP).
The USP Compounding Compendium offers compounding practitioners convenient access to all compounding-related general chapters from the United States Pharmacopeia–National Formulary (USP–NF), USP’s official compendia that are enforceable under Federal law in the United States.
“USP has a deep historic connection to the practice of pharmacy, stretching back to the very beginning of our origination nearly 200 years ago when practitioners regularly prepared medicines as-needed,” noted USP Chief Executive Officer Ronald T. Piervincenzi, Ph.D. “Our founders, most of whom practiced and taught medicine and/or pharmacy, promoted quality standards as a tool to advance their profession and improve public health, and USP’s commitment to those core ideals continues today.”
The new publication features more than 40 supporting general chapters and more than 170 compounding preparation monographs. Additionally, it includes the USP–NF General Notices and Requirements, which provide definitions and important information necessary to correctly interpret and apply compounding standards.
Of significance, many of the recent compounding preparation monographs that are contained in the USP Compounding Compendium include extended beyond-use dating (BUD), based on scientific study. These extended dates will be valuable to patients who require chronic medication by reducing the need for frequent refills.
“Compounding is the special preparation of a prescribed medicine,” Piervincenzi explained. “While compounding has existed for centuries, the role of compounding has grown dramatically in recent years to address customized treatment therapies for patients.”
Compounded drugs are prepared in pharmacy and hospital settings, as well as treatment centers for cancer and other diseases, physicians’ offices, clinics and veterinary care centers. Compounding also can be used to produce drugs or dosage forms not otherwise available or in situations involving drug shortages.
Delivered as an electronic publication in PDF format, the USP Compounding Compendium will be updated with the release of each new USP–NF edition and supplement. Subscribers can access and download all updates during their 12-month subscription period.
The new USP Compounding Compendium is available for purchase through the USP Store.
Additionally, USP has partnered with the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) and the National Community Pharmacy Association (NCPA) to enable their members to purchase the USP Compounding Compendium directly through the IACP and NCPA websites.
For more information, contact mediarelations(at)usp(dot)org.
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USP – Global Expertise, Trusted Standards, Improved Health
The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is a global health organization that improves lives through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods. USP’s standards are used worldwide. For more information about USP visit http://www.usp.org.
Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, US Pharmacopeial Convention, http://www.usp.org, 301-816-8268, [email protected]
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