Impurities are any components that are not active ingredients or excipients, and that can compromise quality in a drug substance or product. Pharmaceutical impurities can be classified as organic or inorganic and include residual solvents. The presence of impurities results from manufacturing and degradation processes.

This spring, long-time USP volunteer Dennis Gorecki, Ph.D., became the latest recipient of USP’s signature Beal Award for outstanding contributions to public health while serving as a USP volunteer.