USP reference standards are released under the authority of the USP Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the USP Reference Standards Committee, which approves the selection and suitability of each new product and new or replacement lot. They are highly purified substances, which are provided specifically for use in the official test methods of the United States Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary.

The USP-NF provides world-recognized standards and test methods for drugs, dietary supplements, medical devices, and other healthcare products. It includes standards for identity, strength, quality and purity; criteria for packaging, labeling, and storage; and procedures for microbiological, chemical, and physical tests and assays.

USP-NF helps to work to standards of precision and accuracy, ensure compliance with official standards for products sold in the US, validate test results against proven benchmarks, establish and validate SOPs, procedures, and specifications.

It is continuously revised and updated. The new edition, USP 27-NF 22 is now available. USP 27-NF 22 includes more than 70 new monographs and important new general chapters on prescription compounding; time, temperature, and humidity monitoring devices; and international harmonization of standards and methods.

The 2004 edition also has numerous revisions to monographs and general chapters and includes helpful new usage guidelines. It features, for the first time, a separate section on dietary supplements. It is available in print, online, and on CD. The print version costs Rs. 15, 975/- (US$330) and shipping price/ unit is Rs.1, 200/- (US$25). LGC Promochem is the authorized distributor of USP reference substances in India.