British Pharmacopoeia Commission

The British Pharmacopoeia Commission is appointed, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health, by the Department of Health’s Appointments Team who are responsible for appointments to all of the Advisory Bodies appointed under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

Under the terms of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, the duties of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission are as follows:

(a) the preparation and publication of any new edition of the British Pharmacopoeia [regulations 317(1) and 317(4)];

(b) the preparation and publication of any compendium containing information relating to substances and articles which are or may be used in the practice of veterinary medicine or veterinary surgery [regulations 317(3)(b) and 317(4)];

(c) the preparation and publication of a list of names to be used as the headings to monographs in the British Pharmacopoeia [regulations 318(1) and 318(2)];

(d) the preparation of any amendments to the above publications [regulation 317(5)(a)].

Members of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission are appointed for a renewable term of 4 years and, under the requirements laid down by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, can serve for a maximum of 10 years.

In order to ensure that the British Pharmacopoeia Commission fulfils its duties under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, the members also have the following duties:

(1) to frame clear and unequivocal technical advice in order to discharge the Commission’s responsibilities both for the British Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia (Veterinary) and British Approved Names and as the national pharmacopoeial authority with respect to the European Pharmacopoeia;

(2) to develop clear policies for the preparation and publication of the British Pharmacopoeia and its related publications;

(3) to serve on one or more Expert Advisory Groups or Panels of Experts of the BP Commission, usually in the position of Chair or Vice-Chair;

(4) to approve new and revised text for inclusion in new editions of the British Pharmacopoeia and British Pharmacopoeia (Veterinary);

(5) to approve new and revised names for inclusion in new editions of British Approved Names and its annual supplements.

In addition to the duties listed above, the Chair of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission has the following additional duties:

(1) To chair all scheduled and unscheduled meetings;

(2) To carry out members appraisals in accordance with Department of Health policies and timelines;

(3) To participate in the process to appoint/re-appoint members of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission.