The full title of this publication (consisting of three volumes and including its Supplements), is The Pharmacopeia of the United States of America, Thirty-Second Revision and the National Formulary, Twenty-Seventh Edition. These titles may be abbreviated to United States Pharmacopeia, Thirty-Second Revision (or to USP 32), to NF 27, and to USP 32–NF 27. The United States Pharmacopeia, Thirty-Second Revision, and the National Formulary, Twenty-Seventh Edition, supersede all earlier revisions. Where the terms “USP,” “NF,” or “USP–NF” are used without further qualification during the period in which these compendia are official, they refer only to USP 32, NF 27, and any Supplement(s) thereto. The same titles, with no further distinction, apply equally to print or electronic presentation of these contents. Although USP and NF are published under one cover and share these General Notices, they are separate compendia.

This revision is official beginning May 1, 2009, unless otherwise indicated in specific text.

Supplements to USP and NF are published periodically.

Interim Revision Announcements are revisions to USP and NF that are published in Pharmacopeial Forum. Interim Revision Announcements contain official revisions and their effective dates, announcements of the availability of new USP Reference Standards, and announcements of tests or procedures that are held in abeyance pending availability of required USP Reference Standards.

Revision Bulletins are revisions to official text or postponements that require expedited publication. They are published on the USP website and generally are official immediately unless otherwise specified in the Revision Bulletin.

Errata are corrections to items erroneously published that have not received the approval of the Council of Experts and that do not reflect the official requirements. Errata are effective upon publication.