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STABILITY STUDIES 179

extended. As a result, the stability information is based on all of


the results obtained during development.
Nearly all of the countries where drugs are produced have their
own guidelines. Stability testing guidelines in the European
Community (EC), Japan, and the United States show no significant
differences in the basic principles listed below.
Stability testing during drug development
Selection of batches and samples
Test criteria
Analytical methods
Specifications
Storage conditions
Test intervals
Storage period
Number of stability batches
Packing materials
Evaluation of data
However, formal requirements do vary. It would be very
desirable to elaborate on the basic principles and demonstrate the
importance of formal differences. On the basis of the discussions
of these differences, harmonized guidelines can be developed that
are acceptable to a large number of countries.
The aim of these guidelines is to present state-of-the-art
stability testing, including the latest official requirements in the
EC, Japan, and the United States, and to indicate future prospects
in stability testing. The harmonized guidelines in these three areas
will cover 83% of the world market for drug products. These
guidelines will be adopted by Canada and Australia, and a number
of other countries are sure to follow.
Stability Testing During Drug Development
Comprehensive and reliable stability information is based on a
large number of individual results generated during development of
a drug product. The individual stages during development should
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