The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) is pleased to announce a symposium co-organised with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) entitled “Pharmaceutical Reference Standards”. It will take place in Strasbourg (France) on 23 and 24 September 2026, in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation.

Pharmaceutical reference standards play a vital role in drug development and production and are essential for the quality control of medicines. This global event will bring together experts from industry, regulatory bodies and academia to discuss the evolving landscape of chemical as well as biological pharmaceutical reference standards. 

Key topics will include best practices for the establishment and lifecycle management of pharmaceutical reference standards. While ICH Q6 and other pharmaceutical regulations provide a foundational framework, they offer limited technical details on the subject. The symposium agenda will explore applicable regulations and guidance that apply to pharmaceutical reference standards. In addition, the symposium will highlight recent scientific and technical developments in the field.  

Participants will have a unique opportunity to interact with key stakeholders and organisations from around the world involved in reference standard development, manufacture, distribution and use. Each session will end with an interactive discussion, allowing the participants to ask questions, share their experience and talk issues over with the presenters and fellow participants.  

While the symposium will be held in a hybrid format, in-person participation is strongly encouraged to facilitate engagement and networking opportunities. 

Stay tuned – more information available soon!