A multi-element inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) survey method has been demonstrated as an alternative to the antiquated 'heavy metals limit test' prescribed by United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and British Pharmacopoeia (BP), for drug substances, intermediates, and raw materials. The survey method is simple, fast, sensitive, semi-quantitative to quantitative, and includes all the elements which can be analyzed by atomic spectroscopy.