USP: Tribute to Thomas Foster

It is with great sadness that we report that Tom Foster, Professor at the University of Kentucky, long time USP expert volunteer, and 2010 USP Beal Award winner, passed away on October 14, 2010 following a brief illness. Tom was awarded the prestigious Beal Award of Distinguished Volunteer Services at the USP Convention in April 2010.This was recognized in an article in the recent August issue of Dissolution Technologies 17(3). The community of dissolution analysts has lost a very important figure in the field, and he will be missed. Dr. Foster has made significant contributions to the science of quality standards in a variety of capacities; he is well-known among industry professionals with an interest in dissolution. Since 1990, Dr. Foster served on the Bioavailability, Bioequivalence, and Dissolution Subcommittee, first as member from 1990 to 1995 and then as chair from 1995 to 2000. He was chair of the Biopharmaceutics Expert Committee during both the 2000-2005 and 2005-2010 cycles.

During his service with the Bioavailability, Bioequivalence, and Dissolution Subcommittee and its successor, the Biopharmaceutics Expert Committee, a number of revisions to general chapters relating to drug product performance were made official or revised.The harmonization of <701> Disintegration and <711> Dissolution was a product of the committees under Dr. Foster's leadership. Additionally, <724> Drug Release, <1087> Intrinsic Dissolution, <1088> In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Dosage Forms, <1090> In Vivo Bioequivalence Guidances, and <1092> The Dissolution Procedure: Development and Validation were all intro- duced and revised during his tenure. He is an author of the PF Stimuli article,"Development of a Compendial Taxonomy and Glossary for Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms" (Pharmacopeial Forum 29(5)), that describes the five routes of administration forming the organizing principle for the work plan of the new General Chapters Dosage Forms Expert Committee (GCDF EC). He also had a special interest in The Performance Verification Test (PVT) and was part of many discussions and proposals on this topic. Those of us who served with Tom remember that he was a tireless proponent of the USP's role in dissolution testing and was constantly on top of the latest issues. He was a great friend and colleague, and we are so sorry about his untimely death at the young age of 63.The tribute to Tom is still up on USP's YouTube channel, at http://www.youtube.com/uspharmacopeia. This video captures very well his personality and upbeat nature. We feel deep sympathy for his family and share their loss.