The global medicines supply chain is vulnerable to disruptions that could lead to drug shortages, as well as to increases in substandard and fake medicines. Solutions are needed to strengthen it.

Standards help promote a strong, resilient medicine supply chain – crucial for patients to receive the medicines they need, when they need them. Science-backed standards encourage quality throughout the development and manufacturing process, enabling confidence that the medicines we use are safe and effective. 

Standards also help respond to emerging crises and propel innovation. When science-based standards are put to use to assure quality, technological advancements can usher in new methods and processes in manufacturing and production – to ensure a healthy, resilient medicine supply chain of the future.

USP is applying its knowledge in medicine standards to new solutions to make the supply chain more resilient and to provide an environment that encourages innovation. Our scientists are developing standards to aid in modernizing pharmaceutical manufacturing, increase medicine production capability, reduce over-reliance on sourcing from a few countries, and increase the overall quality of medicines and quality control processes. USP is also gleaning insights from data on standards distribution and usage to develop an early-warning capability for potential disruptions in the upstream medicines supply chain.

USP standards make a difference -- for manufacturers, for health care practitioners, and for patients. Every day.