US Pharmacopeia Opens New Headquarters

The US Pharmacopeia (USP) held an official grand opening celebration on March 3, 2008, for its new global headquarters in Rockville, MD. The new buildings, for which construction began in 2004, includes a 141,000-square foot office building that houses three laboratories, and a separate 16,000-square foot meeting center with a 273-seat auditorium, five meeting rooms, and state-of-the-art training center. The USP says that its new headquarters will help the organization continue to build on its core mission of setting official quality standards for prescription and over-the-counter medications in the US, while expanding to set standards for the quality of food ingredients and dietary supplements. In an effort to expand and strengthen its international presence, USP has also opened facilities in Europe, India, and China over the past three years, and another facility will open in Sao Paolo, Brazil, in August 2008.

USP release