Regulatory functions
Regulatory support
In partnership with the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), LGC hosts and operates the
British Pharmacopoeia (BP)
Laboratory and the UK’s Official Medicines Control Laboratory
(OMCL) for chemical testing. Together, the work of these two
laboratories helps the MHRA protect public health by ensuring that
medicines and healthcare products are safe for those who use
them.
The BP Laboratory’s primary role is to procure, establish and
maintain reference standards, known as drug active compounds. The
BP Laboratory also supports the work of the British Pharmacopoeia
Commission in establishing methods (known as monographs) for all
medicinal products available in the UK. A key area of development
is in the area of herbal medicinal products.

The OMCL carries out routine surveillance testing on licensed
medicines to ensure the integrity of the market, as well as testing
on unlicensed, illegal and counterfeit medicines. For example,
examination of ‘high risk’ medicines for counterfeiting remains a
very important part of the work undertaken.
Our Sectors
More about our work for Government and
institutions
Contact details
General:
+44 (0) 208 943 7000
info@lgc.co.uk