The US Pharmacopeia (USP)—the nation's public standards-setting authority for all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and related products—has asked the Institute of Medicine to convene a workshop that will address issues related to their heavy metals testing methodologies (USP <231>). Workshop topics will be developed in a meeting of a planning committee made up of an international group of experts. These may include the state of knowledge on heavy metals exposure from healthcare products; the health effects of such exposures, USP's and other pharmacopeias' testing methodologies, and goals for any revisions to the methodologies.

The planning committee meeting will lay the groundwork for a two-day workshop that will include a focused group of presenters from North America, Europe, and possibly other locations. The workshop is expected to generate interest among stakeholders, who will be able to observe the proceedings and, if logistically feasible, listen to them via the internet. An unedited verbatim transcript of the workshop will be produced for public dissemination at its conclusion.

For information or comments contact USP-Workshop@nas.edu