About the U.S. Pharmacopeia

What is USP?

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a private, non-profit scientific organization that develops standards and science-based solutions that help increase the supply of quality medicines, dietary supplements and food ingredients. Used in 150+ countries, USP standards play a critical role in supporting the availability of quality medicines for billions of people worldwide.

What role does USP play in meeting people’s health needs worldwide?
Through rigorous science and collaboration with governments, industry, and health experts around the world, USP helps strengthen the systems that support access to quality medicines by:
Setting quality expectations for medicines, grounded in scientific rigor, robust stakeholder engagement, and good governance 
Supporting stronger, more aligned regulatory systems through science‑based decision‑making, clear quality expectations, and regulatory convergence
Building local and regional capability through technical assistance and training
Enabling efficient and predictable adoption of innovation, including advances in science, manufacturing, and technology
Integrating environmental sustainability considerations and technologies into USP standards
Together, this work helps increase the supply of, and trust in, quality medicines for people around the world, supporting efficient market access and helping reduce drug shortages.
How does USP translate quality expectations into practice across the medicines lifecycle?
USP establishes clear quality benchmarks through standards and other science-based solutions supporting the quality of medicines from development to delivery, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, key starting materials, excipients, and finished dosage forms. These tools help manufacturers and regulators validate methods and critical quality attributes, control impurities, and ensure product performance across the product lifecycle.
Why are USP standards important?
Public quality standards are essential because they:
Aid regulatory predictability and efficiency
Enable consistent medicine quality across manufacturers and production locations
Facilitate a multi-manufacturer environment
Reduce risks of substandard or falsified medicines
Who uses USP standards?
USP standards are trusted by:
Pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers to help streamline quality processes and reduce costs and complexity
Regulators to enable consistent quality expectations and faster reviews
Healthcare providers to maintain public confidence in quality medicines
How does USP enable innovation and sustainability?
USP supports industry, facilitating innovation and environmental sustainability by:
Updating standards for emerging therapies, technologies, test methods, and digital lab environments
Advancing eco-friendly practices that keep quality at the center of all we do
Addressing related gaps in education and technical training
Does USP only focus on medicines?
No. USP also develops standards for:
Dietary supplements and herbal medicines
Food ingredients
These standards help manufacturers produce safe, quality products that protect consumer health.

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Ron Piervincenzi speaking at the USP Convention meeting

Leadership: Driving USP's mission

Mission‑driven leaders advancing the quality of medicines worldwide.

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USP Convention: Representing stakeholders worldwide

A global network of stakeholder organizations offering a range of perspectives on critical healthcare and scientific issues.

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Volunteer Experts: Guiding scientific standards

Independent experts bringing scientific rigor to trusted public standards.

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Careers at USP

Join a talented and diverse team of 1,200 scientific, technical and public health professionals building trust through global collaboration & cutting-edge science

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Code of ethics: Setting the standard for trust

Our reputation rests on a foundation of trust and integrity that we maintain through our governance and ethical actions in service to our high-quality culture.

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USP Asian SouthEast & East Affinity Network (ASEEAN) empowers members to bring their authentic selves to work and serves as a safe space for open and purposeful discussions. Through its impactful programming, U-ASEEAN addresses challenges faced by the Asian community and the importance of allyship to strengthen our workplace culture. UASEEAN also celebrates the contributions of employees of Southeast and East Asian heritage at USP, provides a platform for continuous learning and growth, and enables a support system that promotes community and resilience.

Diverse Minds & Bodies brings together staff with a range of visible and non-visible disabilities, including physical, emotional, and mental impairments (permanent, chronic, and temporary), neurodiversity, and body diversity. Members and allies provide a network with global reach to increase awareness and understanding that empowers all individuals with physical, neuropsychological, cognitive, mood and mental differences to bring their whole, authentic selves to work without fear.

The eQuality Alliance fosters a workplace environment that is inclusive and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. The eQuality Alliance works to: (i) raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in and out of the workplace; (ii) be a change catalyst that will help people respect and value differences; and (iii) promote professional development opportunities for its members, thus strengthening USP's people and quality capabilities to ensure long-term impact.

Honoring ALL that Serve (HATS) is a global community of veterans, military members, their families, and supporters that celebrates, recognizes, and supports military communities. As an organization, HATS is cognizant of service members' contributions and those of their family members through honor, courage, sacrifice, and service. HATS’ goal is to learn from and connect with the community and culture of our global Armed Services institutions.

Interfaith Alliance Membership(IAM) recognizes and celebrates the diversity of faiths practiced by staff globally. IAM provides opportunities to demonstrate our shared love of community through education, celebrations of holidays and life events, and support, and provides opportunities to perform charitable acts in the community. IAM also promotes respect, understanding, cooperation, and appreciation for the many faith traditions within our organization that inspire and teach us to support one another.

Latinx Integration working with Values and advocating for Excellence (LIVE!) creates a safe space for USP’s Latinx community and its allies with the intent on sharing the diverse cultures of Latinx countries and their individual voices to enhance our support and contribution to USP’s global mission, DEIB strategy and commitment.

The Science Working Group (SWG) centers on building community by bringing together USP’s scientists and staff working in the Science division in a safe space to increase awareness, education, and its positive impact on our society, thus creating career pathways in science.

USP Black Employees Building Organizations of Leadership and Diversity (U-BE BOLD), with chapters in the United States and Ghana, promotes the professional development and advancement of Black employees at USP through networking, education, mentoring, and forums, while promoting cultural awareness of all people of African descent.

USP – Global Women’s Network (UGWN), with chapters in the United States and India, is a forum for women and their allies to connect, support, energize, advocate and problem solve with one another to create positive momentum in how we work and function as equitable contributors who add value to the organization

About the United States Pharmacopeia (USP)

About the U.S. Pharmacopeia

What is USP?

What role does USP play in meeting people’s health needs worldwide?

How does USP translate quality expectations into practice across the medicines lifecycle?

Why are USP standards important?

Who uses USP standards?

How does USP enable innovation and sustainability?

Does USP only focus on medicines?

Careers at USP

Code of ethics: Setting the standard for trust