USP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-DESIGNATE IS JEROME HALPERIN.

USP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-DESIGNATE IS JEROME HALPERIN. The former FDA official is currently VP-Technology at Ciba Consumer Pharmaceuticals, a position he has held for the past six years. USP announced the appointment in an April 4 news release. "As executive director, Halperin will chair the 113-member General Committee of Revision, serve as Secretary to the Convention and to the Board of Trustees, and head a staff of 160 people," the release states. Halperin, 52, will join the staff in June and will succeed William Heller, PhD, as the executive director at the end of USP's quinquennial meeting, next March. Heller's plan to retire was announced in 1987 ("The Pink Sheet" Aug. 17, 1987, T&G-4). Prior to joining the OTC division of Ciba-Geigy in 1983, Halperin held several high level positions at FDA. He joined the agency in 1974 as Deputy Associate Director for New Drug Evaluation (Scientific). In 1977, Halperin went on to become Deputy Director of the Bureau of Drugs and then Acting Director, Office of Drugs, National Center for Drugs and Biologics. Halperin earned his pharmacy degree at Rutgers University in 1958, his MPh in radiological health at The John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in 1962, and his Master of Science in management at the MIT Alfred P. Sloan School of Management in 1974. Heller served as executive director of USP since 1970. He joined USP's staff as executive director-designate in 1968 after 10 years on the USP Committee of Revision. Prior to USP, Heller was Director of Scientific Services at ASHP for two years. USP's search committee to find a replacement for Heller comprised Cornell Medical School President and FDA Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes,Jr., MD, as chairman, USP trustees J. Richard Crout, MD, (Halperin's former superior as FDA Bureau of Drugs director) and James Doluisio, PhD, (University of Texas Pharmacy School Dean), and USP Committee of Revision member Ralph Shangraw, PhD.