E-DRUG: 4th edition of WHO International Pharmacopoeia
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[This International Pharmacopoeia is specifically designed for assessing the
quality of essential drugs, so should deserve some attention by E-druggers.
There are new pharmacopoeial standards for several ARVs, and also for the
revised ORS. WB]
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to inform you on the new release of the 4th edition of The
International Pharmacopoeia (in print and CD-ROM format).
This new edition consolidates the texts of the five separate volumes of the
third edition.The opportunity has been taken to improve certain aspects of
the layout and format of the publication. In this Fourth edition all the
monograph texts are brought together in one section and the method texts in
another. Each of these major sections are divided into appropriate
sub-sections and the method texts are numbered for ease of cross-reference.
Important updates and revisions:
new monographs for the following antiretroviral substances are published in
the Fourth edition: didanosine, indinavir sulfate, nelfinavir mesilate,
nevirapine, ritonavir, saquinavir, and saquinavir mesilate.
Revision of the current monograph for Oral rehydration salts has been
carried out to conform to the modified formula published in the 13th Model
List of Essential Medicines (WHO Technical Report Series, No. 920, 2003) and
in the WHO Model Formulary 2004. The revised formula has a reduced sodium
chloride and glucose content providing a solution with a reduced osmolarity
which has improved effectiveness especially for children with acute,
non-cholera diarrhoea. Therefore WHO and UNICEF now recommend that countries
use and manufacture this formulation.
Method texts that have been updated include, for example, the text on high
performance liquid chromatography [HPLC]. This has been revised to clarify
certain technical terms and to add advice on adjustment of chromatographic
conditions, as recommended by the WHO Expert Committee on Specifications for
Pharmaceutical Preparations in October 2004.
The International Pharmacopoeia, 4th edition2006, 2 volumes 1500 pages [E]
ISBN 92 4 156301 X - 978 92 4 156301 7 2006, CD-ROM version [E] ISBN 92 4
156329 X - 978 92 4 156329 1 Order online: http://www.who.int/bookorders
SPECIAL OFFER
International Chemical Reference Substances (ICRS)
To coincide with the publication of the new edition of The International
Pharmacopoeia, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Chemical Reference
Substances is offering a special 50 % discount to National Authorities on
orders for the International Chemical Reference Substances (ICRS) needed to
support the International Pharmacopoeia monographs. This offer is valid
until 1 May, 2007 for one order per national control laboratory with a
maximum order of 10 vials per laboratory. For ordering information, please
visit http://www.apl.apoteket.se/who.
With best regards,
Sabine Kopp
Dr Sabine Kopp
Quality Assurance & Safety: Medicines
World Health Organization
kopps@who.int
WHO Medicines Quality Assurance website:
http://www.who.int/medicines/areas/quality_safety/quality_assurance