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MINSK, 22 January (BelTA) – The Healthcare Ministry of Belarus has become a full-fledged member of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), BelTA learned from the Healthcare Ministry.

The decision to grant Belarus this status was the result of fruitful cooperation of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry and USP scientists. In 2013 Belarus’ Healthcare Minister Vasily Zharko received a delegation of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention led by its CEO (President) Dr. Roger Williams. The meeting resulted in the signing of the memorandum of understanding. Belarus’ Healthcare Ministry was allowed to take advantage, free of charge, of the intellectual property of the U.S. Pharmacopeia, as well as to translate, copy and incorporate various monographs and other papers, including pharmaceutical substance standards, into the State Pharmacopeia of Belarus.

As a result, the U.S. Pharmacopeia approved the status upgrade for the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry from observer to full-fledged member. Belarus will also have a voting right. The letter sent by the USP administration to the Belarusian Healthcare Minister reads that the United States and Belarus share scientific approaches to improving healthcare systems. The USP executive team expressed hope that the parties will keep collaborating with a view to improving healthcare standards and the quality of pharmaceuticals.

A memorandum of cooperation is to be signed soon by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention and Belarus’ Healthcare Ministry. This time Belarus will act in the capacity of a full-fledged member of the convention.

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention is a scientific not-for-profit organization that sets standards for medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide. USP is one of the most reputable and influential pharmacopeial organizations in the world and its standards are used not only in the United States and Canada, but also in other 42 countries worldwide.