---
title: The Ultimate Glossary of Life Science Terms and Acronyms [Over 450 Terms]
description: Over 450 life science acronyms terms to make name dropping a 3-5 letter acronym in a board meeting or networking event a breeze.
---

[From the Experts | Montrium Services Blog](https://blog.montrium.com/experts)

# [The Ultimate Glossary of Life Science Terms and Acronyms \[Over 450 Terms\]](https://blog.montrium.com/experts/the-ultimate-glossary-of-life-science-terms-and-acronyms)

 Written by [Oliver Pearce](https://blog.montrium.com/experts/author/oliver-pearce) | November 27, 2014 at 4:15 p.m.

In today's ever-changing business environment we see more and more terms, acronyms and phrases being used than we have ever done before, and unfortunately the life science industry is no different. With the emergence of new technology and new therapeutics, attempting to put a name on things in pharma can become quite the exercise.

With this in mind, we thought it might be helpful to put together a one size fits all glossary of life science terms, terminology, acronyms, abbreviations or however you like to call them! Some of which you may know, and some you just might discover for the first time. We scoured the internet, books and people to come up with something comprehensive. You will find over 450 terms to make name-dropping a 3-to-5 word phrase in a board meeting or networking event a breeze.

I hope that you will pass this blog post along to others in your organization and maybe even print it out to have on hand when others have questions about the many terms used in the Life Sciences. 

So here goes...

## A

**AAAS** American Association for the Advancement of Science

**AABB** American Association of Blood Banks

**AADA** Abbreviated Antibiotic Drug Application (FDA) (used primarily for generics)

**AAMC** Association of American Medical Colleges

**AAPP** American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians

**AAPS** American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

**ABPI** Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

**ACCP** American College of Clinical Pharmacology

**ACE** adverse clinical event

**ACIL** a national trade association representing independent, commercial scientific, and engineering firms (formerly the American Council of Independent Laboratories)

**ACP** renamed ACRP in 1997

**ACPU** Association of Clinical Pharmacology Units

**ACRA** Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs (FDA)

**ACRP** Association of Clinical Research Professionals, formerly Associates in Clinical Pharmacology (ACP)

**ACRPI** now the Institute of Clinical Research (UK)

**ACT** Applied Clinical Trials magazine

**ACTG** AIDS Clinical Trials Group (NIAID)

**ACTU** AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (NIH)

**AD** antidepressant; Alzheimer’s disease

**ADAMHA** Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (no longer exists)

**ADAS** Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale

**ADAS COG** Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale, Cognitive Subscale

**ADE** adverse drug event; adverse drug effect

**ADME** absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (used to describe pharmacokinetic processes)

**ADR** adverse drug reaction

**AE** adverse event; adverse experience

**AEGIS** ADROIT Electronically Generated Information Service

**AERS** Adverse Event Reporting System (FDA)

**AFCR** See AFMR

**AFMR** American Federation for Medical Research, formerly the American Federation for Clinical Research (AFCR)

**AHA** Area Health Authority (UK)

**AHCPR** Agency for Health Care Policy Research (NIH)

**AICRC** Association of Independent Clinical Research Contractors (UK)

**AMC** academic medical center

**AMA** American Medical Association

**AmFAR** American Foundation for AIDS Research

**AMG** Arzneimittelgesetz (German Drug Law)

**AMI** acute myocardial infarction

**ANDA** Abbreviated New Drug Application (for a generic drug)

**ANOVA** analysis of variance (statistics)

**AOAC** Association of Official Analytical Chemists

**APB** Association Pharmaceutique Belge (Belgium)

**APhA** American Pharmaceutical Association

**API** active pharmaceutical ingredient

**ARDS** adult respiratory distress syndrome

**ARENA** Applied Research Ethics National Association

**ARO** academic research organization

**ASAP** administrative systems automation project (FDA)

**ASCII** American Standard Code for Information Interchange (computer files)

**ASCPT** American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

**ASQ** American Society for Quality, formerly American Society for Quality Control

**AUC** area under the curve (statistics)

**AZT** zidovudine (HIV treatment)

 

## B

**BARQA** British Association of Research Quality Assurance

**BCE** beneficial clinical event

**BDPA** Bureau of Drug Policy and Administration (China)

**BEUC** European Bureau of Consumer Unions

**BfArM** Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, Germany)

**BGA** Bundesgesundheitsamt (Federal health office; former German public health agency)

**BGVV** Bundesinstitut für gesundheitlichen Verbraucherschutz und Veterinärmedizin (Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine, Germany)

**BIO** Biotechnology Industry Organization

**BIRA** British Institute of Regulatory Affairs

**BLA** Biologics License Application (FDA)

**BPAD** bipolar affective disorder

**BPI** Bundesverband der Pharmazeutischen Industrie EV (Germany)

**BrAPP** British Association of Pharmaceutical Physicians

**BSA** body surface area

 

## C

**CA** Competent Authority (regulatory body charged with monitoring compliance with European Union member state national statutes and regulations)

**CAD** coronary artery disease

**CAPRA** Canadian Association of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs

**CAS** Chemical Abstracts Service

**CBCTN** Community Based Clinical Trials Network

**CBER** Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (FDA)

**CCI** Committee on Clinical Investigations. See also CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, NIRB, REB

**CCPPRB** Comité Consultative pour la Protection des Personnes dans les Recherches Biomédicales (France). See also CCI, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, NIRB, REB

**CCRA** Certified Clinical Research Associate. ACRP certification of monitors.

**CCRP** Certified Clinical Research Professional. SOCRA certification of coordinators, monitors, and other research professionals.

**CCRC** Certified Clinical Research Coordinator. Certification issued to clinical coordinators by ACRP.

**CDC** Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA)

**CDER** Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (FDA)

**CDISC** Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (formerly the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Committee, a DIA committee)

**CDM** clinical data management

**CDRH** Center for Devices and Radiological Health (FDA)

**CEN** Comité Européen de Normalisation (European Committee for Standardization)

**CEU** continuing education unit

**CF** consent form

**CFR** Code of Federal Regulations (usually cited by title and part, for example, Title 21, Part 211 is shown as 21 CFR 211)

**cGMP** current good manufacturing practices

**CHR** committee on human research. See also CCI, CCPPRB, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, NIRB, REB

**CIOMS** Council for International Organisations of Medical Sciences (postapproval international ADR reporting, UK)

**CIP** Certified IRB Professional

**CIS** Commonwealth of Independent States

**CLIA** Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments

**Cmax** concentration maximum; used in pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence to indicate maximum plasma concentration for a drug

**CMC** chemistry, manufacturing, and control

**CME** continuing medical education

**CMS** Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

**CNS** central nervous system

**COSTART** Coding Symbols for a Thesaurus of Adverse Reaction Terms. See also MedDRA

**CPHS** committee for the protection of human subjects

**CPMP** Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (EU)

**CPSC** Consumer Product Safety Commission (U.S.)

**CRA** clinical research associate. See also CCRA

**CRADA** cooperative research and development agreement (with NIH)

**CRB** case record book

**CRB** central review board

**CRC** clinical research coordinator. See also CCRC, SC, SSC

**CRF** case report form (sometimes case record form)

**CRO** contract research organization. See also IPRO

**CSDD** Center for the Study of Drug Development

**CSM** Committee on Safety of Medicines (UK)

**CSO** Consumer Safety Officer (FDA)

**CSR** clinical study report

**CSU** clinical supply unit

**CT** clinical trial

**CTC** clinical trial certificate (UK)

**CTEP** Clinical Therapeutics Evaluation Program (NCI)

**CTM** clinical trials materials

**CTX** clinical trial exemption (MCA)

**cv** curriculum vitae

**CVM** Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA)

 

## D

**DAWN** Drug Abuse Warning Network

**DD** Department of Drugs (Swedish regulatory agency)

**DEA** Drug Enforcement Administration (U.S.)

**DEN** Drug Experience Network

**DES** Data Encryption Standard

**DESI** Drug Efficacy Study Implementation notice (FDA, to evaluate drugs in use before 1962)

**DGD** Now OGD (formerly CBER’s Division of Generic Drugs)

**DGPharMed** Deutsche Gesell-schaft für Pharmazeutische Medizin (German Society of Pharmaceutical Medicine), formerly FÄPI

**DHEW** Department of Health, Education and Welfare (U.S., now split into DHHS and Department of Education)

**DHHS** Department of Health and Human Services (U.S.)

**DHTML** dynamic HTML (IT)

**DIA** Drug Information Association

**DoD** Department of Defense (U.S.)

**DPC-PTR Act** Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 (also Waxman-Hatch or Hatch-Waxman bill)

**DRG** Division of Research Grants (NIH); Diagnosis Related Groups

**DSI** Division of Scientific Investigations (FDA)

**DSM** Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (of the American Psychiatric Association)

**DSMB** Data and Safety Monitoring Board

**DSNP** development of standardized nomenclature project (FDA)

**DTC** direct-to-consumer (drug advertising)

**DTD** document type definition (for electronic interchange)

 

## E

**EAB** advisory board. See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, NIRB, REB

**EAB** Editorial Advisory Board (Applied Clinical Trials)

**EC** ethics committee. See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, NIRB, REB

**EC** European Commission (in documents older than the mid-1980s, EC may mean European Community)

**ECJ** European Court of Justice

**ECOG** Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (U.S.)

**ECPHIN** European Community Pharmaceutical Products Information Network

**ECU** European Currency Unit

**EDC** electronic data capture

**EDI** electronic data interchange

**EDMS** electronic document management system

**EEC** European Economic Community, now EU; some regulatory documents still have EEC document numbers

**EFGCP** European Forum for Good Clinical Practice

**EFPIA** European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations

**EFTA** European Free Trade Association

**EIR** Establishment Inspection Report (FDA)

**ELA** Establishment License Application (FDA)

**EMEA** European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products

**EMS** electronic mail service

**EORTC** European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer

**EP** European Parliament

**EPAR** European Public Assessment Report

**EPO** European Patent Office

**EPRG** European Pharmacovigilance Research Group

**ER** Essential Requirements (EMEA)

**ESRA** European Society of Regulatory Affairs

**ESTRI** Electronic Standards for the Transfer of Regulatory Information (M2)

**eTMF** electronic trial master file

**EU** European Union

**EUDRA** European Union Drug Regulatory Authorities

**EWG** expert working group

 

## F

**FAQ** frequently asked questions (IT)

**Farmindustria** The Association of Italian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

**FD&C Act** Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (U.S.)

**FDA** Food and Drug Administration (U.S.)

**FDAMA** FDA Modernization Act

**FDLI** Food and Drug Law Institute

**FFPM** Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (UK)

**FRCP** Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, sometimes followed by a place name–for example, FRCP (Edin.)–that indicates a university medical school

**FTC** Federal Trade Commission (U.S.)

**FTP** File Transfer Protocol

**FWA** federal-wide assurance

 

## G

**GAO** General Accounting Office (U.S. government)

**GBP** good business practice

**Gbps** gigabits or billions of bits per second (data transmission)

**GCP** good clinical practice

**GCRP** good clinical research practice

**GLP** good laboratory practice

**GMP** good manufacturing practices

**GP** general practitioner; general practice (UK)

**GPMS** good post-marketing surveillance practice (Japan)

**GRAS** generally regarded as safe (foods)

**GXP** Good X Practice (FDA compliance; X can mean: Clinical, Laboratory, Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, etc.)

 

## H

**HARTS** Hoechst Adverse Reaction Terminology System

**HCFA** Health Care Financing Administration (HHS)

**HEX** human experimentation committee

**HHS** Department of Health and Human Services (U.S., also called DHHS)

**HIMA** Health Industry Manufacturers Association

**HL7** Health Level 7 (clinical data interchange)

**HPB** Health Protection Branch, Laboratory Centre for Disease Control (Canada)

**HPLC** high performance liquid chromatography

**HSRC** human subjects review committee

**HTML** Hypertext Markup Language (IT)

**HTTP** hypertext transfer protocol (IT)

 

## I

**IB** investigator’s brochure

**IC** informed consent

**ICD9** International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision. See also MedDRA

**ICF** informed consent form

**ICH** International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use

**ICR** Institute of Clinical Research (formerly ACRPI, Association for Clinical Research in the Pharmaceutical Industry, UK)

**ICSR** individual case safety report

**ICS report** integrated

**ICTH** International Committee on Thrombosis and Haemostases

**IDDM** insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

**IEC** independent ethics committee

**IEEE** The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc.

**IFAPP** International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians

**IFPMA** International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Associations

**IG** Inspector General (HHS)

**IKS** Interkantonale Kontrollstelle für Heilmittel (Switzerland)

**IMP** investigational materials plan

**IND** Investigational New Drug application (FDA). See also TIND

**IOM** Institute of Medicine (National Academy of Science, U.S.)

**IPRO** independent pharmaceutical research organization. See also CRO

**IRB** institutional review board; independent review board. See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, LREC, MREC, NIRB, REB

**IRD** International Registration Document

**ISCB** International Society for Clinical Biostatistics

**ISDN** Integrated Services Digital Network

**ISO** International Organization for Standardization

**ISP** Internet service provider

**IT** information technology

**ITU-T** Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunications Union

**IVD** in vitro device; in vitro diagnostics

**IVF** in vitro fertilization

**IVF/ET** in vitro fertilization/ embryo transfer

**IVR** interactive voice response (telephone technology)

 

## J

**JCAHO** Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

**JCPT** *Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics*

**JCRDD** *Journal of Clinical Research and Drug Development*

**JCRP** *Journal of Clinical Research and Pharmacoepidemiology*

**JMA** Japan Medical Association

**JPMA** Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association

 

## K

**Kbps** thousands of bits per second (data transmission)

**KS** Kaposi’s sarcoma

 

## L

**LAN** local area network (IT)

**LIF** Swedish Pharmaceutical Industry Association

**LKP** Leiter der klinischen Prüfung, under the German Drug Law, the physician who is head of clinical testing

**LOA** letter of agreement

**LREC** local research ethics committee(UK). See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, MREC, NIRB, REB  
MA marketing authorization

 

## M

**Mbps** millions of bits per second (data transmission)

**MCA** Medicines Control Agency (UK)

**MDR** Medical Device Reporting

**MECU** million ECU

**MEDDRA** *Medical Dictionary for Drug Regulatory Affairs*

**MedDRA** *Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities* (new global standard medical terminology designed to supersede other terminologies used in the medical product development process, including COSTART,   
ICD9, and others)

**MEDLARS** Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System

**MEFA** Association of the Danish Pharmaceutical Industry

**MEP** Member of the European Parliament

**MHW** Ministry of Health and Welfare (Koseisho, Japan’s drug regulatory agency)

**MOH** Ministry of Health (UK, Canada, others)

**MOPH** Ministry of Public Health

**MOU** memorandum of understanding (an MOU between FDA and a regulatory agency in another country allows mutual recognition of inspections)

**MR** medical representative (Japan)

**MRA** medical research associate

**MREC** multicentre research ethics committee(UK). See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, NRB, REB

**MRI** magnetic resonance imaging

**MTD** maximum tolerated dose

**MVP** master validation plan

 

## N

**NABR** National Association for Biomedical Research

**NAF** Notice of Adverse Findings (FDA post-audit letter)

**NAI** No Action Indicated (most favorable FDA post-inspection classification)

**NAS** new active substance (UK)

**NAS—NRC** National Academy of Sciences—National Research Council (U.S.)

**NBAC** National Bioethics Advisory Commission (U.S.)

**NCCAM** National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, formerly Office of Alternative Medicine (NIH)

**NCCTG** North Central Cancer Treatment Group (U.S.)

**NCE** new chemical entity

**NCHGR** National Center for Human Genome Research (NIH)

**NCHS** National Center for Health Statistics (in CDC)

**NCI** National Cancer Institute (NIH)

**NCPIE** National Council on Patient Information and Education (Washington, DC)

**NCR** no carbon \[paper\] required

**NCRR** National Center for Research Resources (NIH)

**NCVIA** National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (1986)

**NDA** New Drug Application (FDA)

**NDS** New Drug Study (Canada’s new drug application)

**NEFARMA** Dutch Association of the Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry

**NEI** National Eye Institute (NIH)

**NGO** nongovernmental organization

**NHI** National Health Insurance (Japan)

**NHLBI** National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH)

**NHS** National Health Service (UK)

**NIA** National Institute on Aging (NIH)

**NIAAA** National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH)

**NIAID** National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIH)

**NIAMS** National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH)

**NICHD** National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH)

**NIDA** National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH)

**NIDCD** National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH)

**NIDDK** National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH)

**NIDR** National Institute of Dental Research (NIH)

**NIEHS** National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH)

**NIGMS** National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH)

**NIH** National Institutes of Health (DHHS)

**NIMH** National Institute of Mental Health (NIH)

**NINDS** National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NIH)

**NINR** National Institute of Nursing Research (NIH)

**NIRB** non-institutional review board

**NLM** National Library of Medicine (NIH)

**NME** new molecular entity

**NRB** non-institutional review board, also known as an independent review board. See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, REB

**NSCLC** non—small cell lung carcinoma

**NTP** National Toxicology Program

 

## O

**OAI** Official Action Indicated (serious FDA post-inspection classification)

**OAM** See NCCAM

**ODAC** The Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (U.S.)

**ODE** Office of Drug Evaluation (CDER now has five such offices: ODE I, II, III, IV, and V)

**OGD** Office of Generic Drugs (CDER, formerly DGB)

**OGE** Office of Government Ethics (formerly part of Office of Personnel Management, separate executive branch in 1989)

**OHRP** Office for Human Research Protections

**OIG** Office of the Inspector General

**OJC** Office Journal of the European Union—C Series (Information)

**OJL** Office Journal of the European Union—L Series (Legislation)

**OMB** Office of Management and Budget (U.S.)

**OPRR** Office for Protection from Research Risks (predecessor to OHRP)

**OSHA** Occupational Safety Health Administration (U.S.)

**OTA** Office of Technology Assessment (U.S.; abolished by Congress, fall 1995)

**OTC** over-the-counter (refers to nonprescription drugs)

 

## P

**PAB** Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau (Japan)

**PAHO** Pan American Health Organization

**PCC** Poison Control Center

**PCP** Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

**PD** pharmacodynamics

**PDA** personal digital assistant (Palm Pilot, for example)

**PDF** Portable Document Format

**PDQ** Physicians’ Data Query (NCI-sponsored cancer trial registry)

**PDR** Physicians’ Desk Reference

**PDUFA** Prescription Drug User Fee Act (1992, U.S.)

**PEM** prescription event monitoring

**PERI** Pharmaceutical Education & Research Institute (not-for-profit division of PhRMA)

**PFT** pulmonary function tests

**PhRMA** Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (formerly PMA)

**PHS** Public Health Service (U.S.)

**PI** principal investigator

**PK** pharmacokinetics

**PKI** public key infrastructure (IT)

**PLA** Product License Application (FDA)

**PMA** Pre-Market Approval application (FDA)

**PMS** post-marketing surveillance

**PPI** patient package insert

**PPO** preferred provider organization; policy and procedure order

**PR** public relations

**PRIM&R** Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (Boston, MA)

**PROG** peer-review oversight group (NIH)

**PSUR** periodic safety update report

**PTC** Points to Consider

 

## Q

**QA** quality assurance

**QbD** Quality by Design

**QAU** quality assurance unit

**QC** quality control

**QL** quality of life

**QOL** quality of life

 

## R

**R&D** research and development

**R&TD** research and technological development

**RADAR** Risk Assessment of Drugs–Analysis and Response

**RAPS** Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society

**RCT** randomized clinical trial

**RDE** remote data entry

**RDRC** Radioactive Drug Research Committee

**REB** research ethics board (Canada). See also CCI, CCPPRB, CHR, CPPHS, CRB, EAB, EC, HEX, IEC, IRB, LREC, MREC, NRB

**RKI** Robert-Koch-Institut, Bundesinstitut für Infektionskrankheiten und nich-übertragbare Krankheiten (Federal Institute for Infectious and Non-communicable Diseases, Germany)

**RL** regulatory letter (FDA post-audit letter)

 

## S

**SAE** serious adverse event

**SAS** Statistical Analysis System (commonly used statistical analysis package)

**SATCM** State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (China)

**SBA** summary basis of approval

**SC** study coordinator. See also CRC, CCRC, SSC

**SCT** Society for Clinical Trials

**SD** standard deviation

**SDA** State Drug Administration (China)

**SDAT** Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type

**SE** standard error (statistics)

**SEA** Single European Act of 1987

**SEER** Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (Registry of NCI)

**SGML** Standard Generalized Markup Language (IT)

**SLA** service level agreement

**SMART** Submission Management and Review Tracking (FDA)

**SME** significant medical event

**SMO** site management organization

**SmPC** Summary of Product Characteristics

**SNDA** Supplemental New Drug Application

**SNIP** Syndicat National de l’Industrie Pharmaceutique (France)

**SNOMED** Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (a dictionary)

**SOCRA** Society of Clinical Research Associates

**SOP** standard operating procedure

**SPAC** State Pharmaceutical Administration of China

**SPM** Society of Pharmaceutical Medicine (UK)

**SQA** Society of Quality Assurance

**SQAP** systems quality assurance plan

**SSC** study site coordinator. See also CRC, CCRC, SC

**SSCT** Swedish Society for Clinical Trials

**SSFA** Società di Scienze Farmacologiche Applicate (Italy)

**SSM** skin surface microscopy

**STD** sexually transmitted disease

**STT** short term tests

**SUD** sudden unexpected death

**SWOG** Southwest Oncology Group (U.S.)

 

## T

**TB** tuberculosis

**TCP/IP** Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

**TESS** treatment emergent signs and symptoms

**TIND** Treatment IND. See also IND

**TK** toxicokinetics

**tmax** the time after dosing when Cmax occurs

**TMO** trial management organization

 

## U

**UK** United Kingdom

**URL** uniform resource locator (address of a Web site)

**USC** United States Code (book of laws)

**USDA** Department of Agriculture (U.S.)

**USP** United States Pharmacopeia

 

## V

**VA** Veterans Administration (officially, United States Department of Veterans Affairs)

**VAERS** Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

**VAI** Voluntary Action Indicated (FDA post-audit inspection classification)

**VPN** virtual private network

 

## W

**WAN** wide area network

**WHO** World Health Organization

**WHOART** World Health Organization Adverse Reaction Terminology

**WL** Warning Letter (most serious FDA post-audit letter, demands immediate action within 15 days)

**WRAIR** Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (DoD)

**WTO** World Trade Organization

**www** World Wide Web

 

## X

**XML** Extensible Markup Language (IT)

 

## Test your colleagues and friends

1. What does eTMF stand for? [Tweet this question](http://ctt.ec/N7QvG)
2. Here's a test: Who know's what a CSR is? [Tweet this question](http://ctt.ec/saUvn)
3. EMEA - What does it stand for? [Tweet this question](http://ctt.ec/f9tSj)

 

Are there any that we missed? Leave a comment below so we can add them to the list.

[View full post](https://blog.montrium.com/experts/the-ultimate-glossary-of-life-science-terms-and-acronyms)

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