Pharmaceutical-Grade Compounds in Research

USDA Policy 3 states - Investigators are expected to use pharmaceutical-grade medications whenever they are available, even in acute procedures.  Non-pharmaceutical-grade chemical compounds should only be used in regulated animals after specific review and approval by the IACUC for reasons such as scientific necessity or non-availability of an accepted veterinary or human pharmaceutical-grade product.  Cost savings alone are not an adequately justification for using non-pharmaceutical-grade compounds in animals.  

Pharmaceutical Grade - meets pharmaceutical standards.  There are several criteria by which pharmaceutical grade is judged.  The product must be in excess of 99% purity with no binders, filters, dyes, or unknown substances.  Lists of chemical compounds available in pharmaceutical grade can be found in either the human or veterinary PDR. 

Copyright 2003
Medical College of Georgia
All rights reserved.

Institutional Animal and Care Use Committee/Medical College of Georgia
Please email comments, suggestions or questions to:
IACUC@mcg.edu

September 19, 2007