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Pharmaceutical Industry Acronyms

Written by: Mike Wood, Portal Business Manager & Editor, PharmiWeb.com
Published on: 2 Feb 2019

AABB

American Association of Blood Banks

AACP

American College of Clinical Pharmacology

AADA

Abbreviated Antibiotic Drug Application

AAMC

Association of American Medical Colleges

AAPP

American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians

AAPS

American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

ABP

Association Pharmaceutique Belge

ABPI

Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

ACE

adverse clinical event

ACPU

Association of Clinical Pharmacology Units

ACRP

Association of Clinical Research Professionals, formerly Associates in Clinical Pharmacology

ACT

Applied Clinical Trials magazine

AD

antidepressant
Alzheimer’s disease

ADME

absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (pharmacokinetic processes)

ADR

adverse drug reaction

AE

adverse event

AERS

Adverse Event Reporting System

AFMR

American Federation for Medical Research

AICRC

Association of Independent Clinical Research Contractors

AMA

American Medical Association

ANDA

Abbreviated New Drug Application

ANDA

Abbreviated New Drug Application

APhA

American Pharmaceutical Association

API

active pharmaceutical ingredient

ARO

academic research organization

ASCPT

American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

BARQA

British Association of Research Quality Assurance

BCE

beneficial clinical event

BDPA

Bureau of Drug Policy and Administration (China)

BIO

Biotechnology Industry Organization

BIRA

British Institute of Regulatory Affairs

BrAPP

British Association of Pharmaceutical Physicians

CAPRA

Canadian Association of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs

CDM

clinical data management

CMC

Chemistry, Manufacturing & Controls

CME

continuing medical education

 CNS

Central Nervous System

COPD

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 

CPM

Clinical Project Manager

CPMP

Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products

CRA

Clinical Research Associate

CRF

Case Report Form

CRO

contract research organization

CSM

Committee on Safety of Medicines

CTA

Clinical Trials Assistant

CTC

Clinical Trial Certificate

CTL

Clinical Team Leader

CTM

Clinical Trial Manager

CTX

Clinical Trial Certificate of Exemption

DBDD

Double Blind Double Dummy

EMEA

Europe Middle East and Africa

FCPA

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

GCP

Good Clinical Practice

GI

Gastro Intestinal

GMP

Good Manufacturing Practice

HLM

Healthcare Liaison Manager

IDB

Investigators’ Drug Brochure

IREC

Independent Research Ethics Committee

KAM

Key Account Manager

MAA

Marketing Authorisation Approval

MHRA

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

MREC

Main Research Ethics Committee

NCE

New Chemical Entity

NICE

National Institute of Clinical Excellence

P

Pharmacy Only Medicine

PIL

Patient Information Leaflet

PMS

Post Marketing Surveillance

POM

Prescription Only Medicine

PPRS

Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme

PR

Public Relations

QA

Quality Assurance

QC

Quality Control

R&D

Research and Development

SAE

Serious Adverse Event

SAMM

Safety Assessment of Marketed Medicines

SCRA

Senior Clinical Research Associate

SDV

Source Data Varification

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure