The face-to-face meeting of the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG) [European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP)] was hosted by the EDQM in Strasbourg, France, on 2-3 October 2018. WHO participated as Observer.
Sign-offs at this meeting included a new monograph on Copovidone and revisions to monographs on Microcrystalline Cellulose, Wheat starch and Gelatin. Thus 28 of the 31 General Chapters and 46 of the 60 excipient monographs on the current work programme have been harmonised among the PDG Pharmacopoeias.
Following the PDG videoconference on 11 April 2018, technical teleconferences providing a virtual space for experts from the three regions were organised on two items: E-08 Carmellose sodium and G-07 Elemental impurities. During the PDG meeting, the Coordinating Pharmacopoeia reported back on the success of these technical conferences for resolving sticking points and on the subsequent progress made in these areas since the last PDG meeting. In-depth discussions on a number of other items on the current PDG work programme took place with a view to resolving outstanding issues and advancing the items towards sign-off. More detail can be found in the highlights of the meeting.
See also: International Harmonisation