About Reference Standards

If you are a new customer, please be advised we will be required to conduct a check on your company before we can approve your order for processing/dispatch.  
To enable us to carry out the required checks, please complete this form New Customer - Company Check Form v2.pdf and return it to bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible, ensuring the following: 

• All fields are completed. Please enter N/A if not applicable.
• Where a website address is not available, evidence of the company registration must be provided. If the document is not in English, the original document and a legal translated copy in English must be given. 
• If a website is available but the invoice and/or delivery address is not visible/listed, official documentation must be provided to show that the location is registered to the company 
  Note: Company letter-headed documents will not suffice as evidence
• If an order is to be delivered to a different company, checks will need to be completed on that company also so please ensure a company website is provided for both.   

Following receipt of the completed form, please allow 10-working days for the necessary checks to be carried out. If further information is required, we will endeavour to contact you within that time however, to avoid any delays to this process, please ensure the above listed information is provided in the first instance.  

Once the company checks have been successfully completed, one of the following will happen: 

• If you have paid for your order by credit/debit card:
  Your order will be processed for dispatch and you will receive an email confirming this 
• If you have opted to pay by invoice:
  A proforma invoice will be emailed to you for prepayment and further instructions. 

NOTE: ALL FIRST ORDERS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS WILL BE HELD UNTIL PREPAYMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED. 

If you have any queries regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact us at bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk.

Please note that all prices of BP Reference Standards can be obtained from the BP Website. 

• Quantitative BPCRS (that have a declared content) cost £117.
• Qualitative BPCRS (without a declared content) cost £102.

Handling and courier costs apply to each order:

• for orders within the United Kingdom - £15
• for orders to Europe, USA and Canada - £50
• for orders to anywhere else - £75
• for some items, such as controlled drugs or dangerous goods, additional charges and requirements apply

Once your purchase has been validated you will receive an invoice to allow you to make payment for the outstanding amount. All invoices must be settled upon receipt of invoice.

Please ensure the payment reference ‘BPxxxx SINVxxxxxx (your account number and invoice no)’ is included with your payment instructions, and a copy of your proof of payment (with the invoice number(s) clearly stated) is emailed to sales.invoices@mhra.gov.uk and copy (cc) in bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk. 

How to pay online using credit or debit card

Access secure online payments service - GOV.UK Pay.

You can pay online for a range of our services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using your credit or debit card. We accept debit cards (DC) - Maestro; Delta; Visa Electron and credit cards (CC) – Mastercard, Visa and American Express.

Please ensure you quote the relevant reference number when making a payment.

For alternative payment options please see MHRA payments page.

We ship BPCRS in vials or ampoules containing enough material to perform the tests.

View information about the vial components.

View information about the vial labels.

You should only order the amounts you need. BPCRS are of the correct quality when dispatched but there is a risk they can degrade over time.

Do not store BPCRS for long periods after opening.

If a BPCRS needs to be stored in a freezer (-20°C), we ship these only on certain days and under cold packs. This is to protect the materials and avoid delays. You must store these at the correct conditions when you receive them. We ship all other items at ambient temperature.

You are responsible for clearing all orders through local customs, this includes the payment of customs duties and taxes. If an order is not cleared and the order is returned to us, you will be liable for the cost of the order. As we cannot guarantee the stability of the standards they will be disposed of upon return. Should you still wish to obtain the standards, a new order will have to be placed.

Leaflets which you can download from the catalogue contain all pertinent information regarding analytical data, storage conditions and advice on safe-handling where necessary.

Declared content figures and/or reference chromatograms are supplied where required. The BPC does not supply certificates of analysis.

Controlled drugs (narcotics) and drug precursors (category 1 substances) are subject to import and export restrictions. You must obtain the correct documents to comply with the laws of the importing country.

For all applications, the name and address of the exporter must be:

British Pharmacopoeia Commission Laboratory
10 Priestley Road
Surrey Research Park
Guildford
GU2 7XY
United Kingdom.

Schedule 1 to 5 Controlled Drugs (narcotics):

• if you are a UK customer, you must provide a copy of your Home Office licence to possess and supply
• if you are a non-UK customer, you must provide a valid import licence, showing the name and address of the Exporter, the name and address of the Importer and the quantity of the controlled substance(s) required. We will then obtain the relevant export licence(s) before shipping

Category 1 substances (precursor chemicals):

• if you are a UK customer, you must provide a ‘declaration of specific use’
• if you are a non-UK customer, you must provide a ‘declaration of specific use’ and a valid import licence

We supply all BPCRS in sealed containers.  Long term storage instructions are available on the safety data sheet from the website catalogue.

You should keep the BPCRS in the original, unopened pack. You should keep BPCRS under the storage conditions described. 

We monitor all BPCRS for stability and we show the valid batch (lot) on our website.

As long as the batch (lot) number on the vial is shown as the current batch (lot) on the website, it is valid and suitable for use, provided it is unopened and stored according to the instructions given.

If the batch (lot) number on the vial is different from the current batch (lot) on the website, then you should apply an expiry date of 12 months from the date of dispatch provided it is unopened and stored according to the instructions given. To obtain the appropriate leaflet for the previous batch you would need to contact the BP Secretariat directly BPCRS@mhra.gov.uk

Once we ship the vials, we no longer have control and therefore we can only give a limited guarantee of the BPCRS for a short time. After this, you must store the BPCRS correctly.

We can offer no guarantee or warranties regarding the use of previously opened BPCRS.  You must make any decision about using a previously opened BPCRS.

If we cancel an order

We try to make sure that all prices shown on our website are correct, but sometimes an error may occur. If we discover a price error before we send the order, we will ask if you want to continue at the correct price or cancel the order. Unless we have already sent the order, we do not have to supply products at the wrong price.

If we cancel your order for any reason, we will offer either replacement items or a refund if you have already paid.

If you cancel an order before it is sent

To cancel your order before we send it, you should contact the BPCRS sales team, email us at bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk giving us your full name, address and order ID.

If you have already paid, then we will either substitute product(s) of the same value, credit your account with the value of your order or refund any money taken from your credit or debit card account as soon as possible.

If you cancel an order after it is sent

Unfortunately we will not cancel or refund orders after we have sent them unless they are damaged, defective, or we have sent the wrong items.

We try to process and dispatch orders within 48 hours (except for Controlled Drugs).

If you've entered the wrong delivery address

Email bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible, however if this order has already been processed we will be unable to make any changes.

If you haven't received an order confirmation

If we do not confirm that we have received your order within 2 working days, then please contact the BPCRS sales team at bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk. 

If your order is incorrect or damaged

If you receive items that are different from those you ordered, or your items are damaged, please contact the BPCRS sales team at bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk within 10 working days of the delivery date.

We will ask you to either return the items (at our cost) or throw them away.

If your order hasn't arrived
If you have not received your items within 10 working days of receiving your order acknowledgement, please contact the BPCRS sales team at bpcrs@mhra.gov.uk. Include your full name, address, order ID and contact details so we can advise you on what to do next.

We will offer either replacement items or a refund, at our discretion.

The European directive EC 1907/2007 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of chemical substances (REACH) is now in force.

Registration

• Since the quantities of BPCRS produced are very small, a maximum of 250 g per substance in any 1 year, no registration is necessary.

Evaluation

• We write our Safety Data Sheets in line with the directive and make these available on the website as soon as they are completed.

Authorisation/restriction

• No BPCRS are currently on the list of substances of very high concern (SVHC). 
  • IRMM impact assessment
  • IRMM website
  • ECHA website