For Immediate Release (01/31/09)

New Article on Design of Pharmacy to Conform with USP 797 (2008 version)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article about design of pharmacies to conform to the 2008 version of USP 797.

The article has been published in the February 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.

The article discussed the latest edition of USP 797, and how pharmacists and pharmacy managers should plan, design and construct their pharmacies to conform to USP 797.

About USP 797: USP 797 is a far-reaching regulation that governs a wide range of pharmacy policies and procedures. It is designed both to cut down on infections transmitted to patients through pharmaceutical products and to better protect staff working in pharmacies in the course of their exposure to pharmaceuticals. Issued by U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP), the regulation governs any pharmacy that prepares "compounded sterile preparations" (CSPs). Many pharmacies fit this description. Moreover, many large hospitals have several pharmacies--a main one and several satellite pharmacies--that will be affected. A good source of information about USP 797 is the website www.usp797.org, which includes commonly asked USP 797 questions and answers by USP 797 industry consultants.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories, with a sub-specialty in the design and construction of USP 797-compliant pharmacy facilities. Over the last three years, Bernstein & Associates, Architects has designed over (20) USP 797-compliant pharmacies. The firm currently has four USP 797 compliant pharmacies in design or construction, including the new cancer center pharmacy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

For more information about pharmacy design and construction, please contact: