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United States Pharmacopeia

The ''United States Pharmacopeia'' (''USP'') is a pharmacopeia (compendium of drug information) for the United States published annually by the over 200-year old United States Pharmacopeial Convention (usually also called the USP), a nonprofit organization that owns the trademark and also owns the copyright on the pharmacopeia itself.

The ''USP'' is published in a combined volume with the ''National Formulary'' (a formulary) as the USP-NF. If a drug ingredient or drug product has an applicable ''USP'' quality standard (in the form of a ''USP-NF'' monograph), it must conform in order to use the designation "USP" or "NF". Drugs subject to ''USP'' standards include both human drugs (prescription, over-the-counter, or otherwise) and animal drugs. ''USP-NF'' standards also have a role in US federal law; a drug or drug ingredient with a name recognized in ''USP-NF'' is considered adulterated if it does not satisfy compendial standards for strength, quality, or purity. USP also sets standards for dietary supplements and food ingredients (as part of the ''Food Chemicals Codex''). USP has no role in enforcing its standards; enforcement is the responsibility of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other government authorities in the United States. Provided by Wikipedia