This volume presents to the international world of learning the first fruits of a project launched by the European Science Foundation (ESF) in 1977. Tribute should be paid to the late Professor Aleck Chloros, Judge in the Court of the Euro- pean Community, whose belief in the European ideal and enthusiasm for European co9peration and the comparative study oflegal problems made him an eloquent ad- vocate of a large-scale ESF venture into the field of comparative law. Judge Chloros had envisaged the creation of a permanent, sizable and well-equipped European in- stitute for comparative legal studies. The successive working parties convoked by the Executive Council of the ESF, which I had the honour of heading from the be- ginning, came to the conclusion that this ambitious vision could not be realized im- mediately; the financial situation of the member organizations of the ESF also de- teriorated, making a cautious approach a necessary virtue. The solution ultimately adopted by the last of the working parties - the Ad Hoc Committee for Compara- tive Law - and submitted to the General Assembly of the ESF in 1979 called for the launching of four pilot projects. In November 1980, the Assembly approved de- tailed plans for two of these projects, the first of which concerned medical respon- sibility - the subject of this volume. A Steering Committee was set up to monitor the projects. The organisation of the study was entrusted to Professor Dr.

Guides readers on the proper use of in vitro drug release methodologies in order to evaluate the performance of special dosage forms In the last decade, the application of drug release testing has widened to a variety of novel/special dosage forms. In order to predict the in vivo behavior of such dosage forms, the design and development of the in vitro test methods need to take into account various aspects, including the dosage form design and the conditions at the site of application and the site of drug release. This unique book is the first to cover the field of in vitro release testing of special dosage forms in one volume. Featuring contributions from an international team of experts, it presents the state of the art of the use of in vitro drug release methodologies for assessing special dosage forms' performances and describes the different techniques required for each one. In Vitro Drug Release Testing of Special Dosage Forms covers the in vitro release testing of: lipid based oral formulations; chewable oral drug products; injectables; drug eluting stents; inhalation products; transdermal formulations; topical formulations; vaginal and rectal delivery systems and ophthalmics. The book concludes with a look at regulatory aspects. Covers both oral and non-oral dosage forms Describes current regulatory conditions for in vitro drug release testing Features contributions from well respected global experts in dissolution testing In Vitro Drug Release Testing of Special Dosage Forms will find a place on the bookshelves of anyone working with special dosage forms, dissolution testing, drug formulation and delivery, pharmaceutics, and regulatory affairs.