The United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc. (USP) establishes and disseminates officially recognized standards of quality and authoritative information for the use in the manufacture and testing of drugs, excipients, and raw materials. Also called one of the compendia. Other compendia include, for example, Ph.Eur (Pharmacopeia Europa), JP (Japanese Pharmacopeia).The USP, which defined specifications for approved drugs as well as general methods and guidance, merged with the NF, National Formulary, which focused on specifications for raw materials and excipients. General chapters are not legally binding, but specific chapters are considered to be binding, and defined USP methods are accepted by the FDA as an appropriate standard.