Mary Foster, Pharm.D., vice president of Quality at Catalent, has been elected chair of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Packaging, Storage and Distribution Expert Committee for the 2010-2015 USP cycle. The USP and National Formulary (USP-NF) is the U.S. legally recognized standards compendia for drugs, drug products and dietary supplements.

Dr. Foster’s responsibilities will include the creation of new standard USP General Chapters as well as the revision of current standard general chapters. The initial focus of the Committee will be development of standards to guide the pharmaceutical industry in the following subject matter: supply chain (including drug pedigrees and anti-counterfeiting), testing for extractables and leachables, and testing of glass, plastic and metal container closure systems. Dr. Foster also serves on the USP Advisory Panel for bulk pharmaceutical excipients.

“It is an honor to be elected to the USP Council of Experts Chair of the Packaging, Storage and Distribution Committee. I am committed to creating a collaborative environment as this new expert committee works through the process of developing standard practices and guidance on important topics involving the life cycle of drug products,” said Dr. Foster.

Sharon Johnson, Catalent’s senior vice president of Quality, said, “We are pleased to be able to have our experts engage with and support critical industry bodies such as the USP, as part of our ongoing commitments to quality and regulatory excellence.”