The important role of thermoanalytical methods in the field of pharmaceutical and galenic research is outlined. The thermodynamic stability of polymorphic forms of a substance is discussed.The development of a pharmaceutical compound or a dosage form is a long-range task affording normally a period of more than ten years. Many research and development steps are necessary from the first step the synthesis of a pharmaceutical compound for which a certain therapeutic effect can be expected to the final step of the galenic formulation.A second development pathway gains to-day a marked importance in creating new dosage forms for already known pharmaceutical compounds. The whole field of the galenic development changed in the last years to a major research and development task. Of course the question may be put foreward what are the rational facts causing such a shift of emphasis. First of all many John Wiley & Sons, Limited, Chichester Akaddmiai Kiad6, Budapest