The United States Pharmacopoeial Convention (USP) and the Chinese Pharmacopoeial Commission (ChP) in association with Drug Information Association (DIA) are gearing up to host an International meet on “Partnering Globally for 21st Century Medicines,” on 18th and 19th of September 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The main agenda of the meeting is to deliberate on the quality of standards for medicines. The convention is organized as a part of its 10th annual science and standards symposium in partnership with DIA. The symposium will be the sixth in a series of annual joint meetings co-hosted by USP and ChP.

The two-day workshop is designed to feature presentations on a wide range of topics including monograph and reference standard development practices; modernizing and harmonizing quality standards; elemental and organic impurities control; assay transitions in biological medicines; defining excipient quality; international perspectives on traditional medicine; and legacy biological products and naturally derived materials.

This time the theme of the convention is “Partnering Globally for 21st Century Medicines,” the symposium is expected to focus on regulatory issues and quality standards related to the manufacture of chemical medicines, biologics, herbal and traditional medicines and excipients.

The topics of discussion at the convention are expected to focus on 21st century medicine in healthcare systems and healthcare delivery, mechanisms to promote their continuing availability to assure patient/consumer access; opportunities and challenges; role of pharmacopoeias etc. Another important topic of discussion would be chemical medicines and excipients which will focus on USP and ChP drug nomenclature approaches; U.S. and China regulatory initiatives to better manage the global supply chain of excipients and manufacturer challenges in ensuring quality of pharmaceutical grade excipients.

The meeting is also expected to focus the increasing impact of biologic medicines in China and the U.S and highlight on evolving subjects of biosimilars and interchangeable biosimilars. The forum is also expected to have discussions on herbal medicines and traditional Chinese medicines.  The complex relationships between herbal medicines, traditional Chinese medicines, and U.S. dietary supplements in national and global commerce are expected to come for discussions at the meet.

Representatives and speakers from USP, ChP, DIA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the China Pharmaceutical University, Duquesne University, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Avalere Health, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmBH, the Shanghai Institute of Material Medica, the University of Pittsburgh, APP Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories, the Centre for Phytotherapy and Research (Mauritius), Health Canada and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México are expected to take part in the event.