Quality assurance of pharmaceutical products is a continuing concern of WHO. Despite efforts made around the world to ensure a supply of quality and effective medicines, substandard, spurious and counterfeit products still compromise health care delivery in many countries. To respond to the global need for adequate quality assurance of pharmaceuticals, WHO's Expert Committee on Specifications for Pharmaceutical Preparations has over the years made numerous recommendations to establish standards and guidelines and to promote the effective functioning of national regulatory and control systems and the implementation of internationally agreed standards by trained personnel.