Abstract

The British Pharmacopoeia (BP) has long been the major authority for drug standards in the United Kingdom, but since 1972 monographs of the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) have taken precedence over those of the BP. Those monographs of the BP on drugs included in the EP therefore indicate that the standards of the EP apply. The BP 1980 is the first to incorporate monographs for all the relevant materials of the EP, as well as for materials which were formerly described in the British Pharmaceutical Codex (BPC). Most users will therefore no longer need to consult the EP as well as the BP. The new BP came into effect on December 1, 1980. It consists of two volumes and costs £60. Addenda will be published annually.