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Forced Degradation Studies

Meaning

Forced degradation studies are a crucial component of pharmaceutical development and quality control, involving the intentional exposure of a drug substance or product to extreme stress conditions to accelerate its breakdown and identify potential degradation products. These stress conditions typically include high heat, humidity, extreme pH (acid/base), oxidation, and intense light exposure. The primary goal is to understand the chemical stability of the molecule and to elucidate the complete degradation profile, which is necessary for formulating stable products and validating analytical methods.