Acronym buster

This A–Z is designed to help you translate the array of acronyms used in the .

ABHI Association of the British Healthcare Industries ACD Appraisal Consultation Document ADTC Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee (Scotland) AE Adverse Event ADR Adverse Drug Reaction AESGP Association of the European Self Industry AGNSS Advisory Group for National Specialised Services AHSC Academic Health Science Centre ANSN Academic Health Science Network AL Adaptive Licensing AMRC Association of the Medical Research Charities AMS Academy of Medical Sciences APG American Pharmaceutical Group APPG All Party Parliamentary Group/All Party Pharmacy Group AQF Annual Quality Framework (health – Wales) AQP Any Qualified Provider WACG All Wales Cancer Drugs Group (supports the AWMSG) AWMSG All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (HTA body for Wales) AWPAG All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group (subgroup of AWMSG)

BAEPD British Association of European Pharmaceutical Distributors BAPW British Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers BBSRC and Biological Sciences Research Council BGMA British Generic Manufacturers Association BHBIA British Healthcare Business Intelligence Association BIA BioIndustry Association BIG Bioindustrial Innovation and Growth Team (BIS subgroup) BIS Department for Business, Innovation & Skills BMA British Medical Association BNF British National Formulary BNFC British National Formulary for Children BIVDA British In Vitro Diagnostics Association BPG British Pharma Group

CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services CBI The Confederation of British Industry CCG Cancer Campaigning Group/Clinical Commissioning Group CD Controlled Drugs CHC Community Health Council (Wales) CHM Commission on Human Medicines CHMP Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use CLA Copyright Licensing Agency

CMO Chief Medical Officer CMU Commercial Medicines Unit COF Commissioning Outcomes Framework - NICE COMP Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products CoP Code of Practice (see PMCPA) CPA Chief Pharmaceutical Advisor (Wales) CPO Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (Scotland) CPRD Clinical Practice Research Datalink CQC Care Quality Commission (regulates adult social care services) CQUIN Commissioning for Quality and Innovation CRG Clinical Reference Group CRN Clinical Research Network CRUK Cancer Research UK CSA Chief Scientific Adviser (to the Prime Minister) CSO Commissioning Support Organisation CSR Clinical Study Report CSS Commissioning Support Service CSU Commissioning Support Unit CTA Clinical Trial Authorisation CTD Clinical Trials Directive CTD Common Technical Document (for regulatory submissions) CTR Clinical Trials Regulation

DEFRA Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs DH/DoH Department of Health DHSS Department of Health and Social Services (Wales only) DHSSPS Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety DSU Decision Support Unit, NICE DSUR Developmental Safety Update Report DTC Direct-to-Consumer DTCA Direct-to-Consumer Advertising D&TC Drug and Therapeutics Committee DTP Direct to Pharmacy/Direct to Public

EA Environment Agency EAMS Early Access to Medicines Scheme ECMC Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network EFPIA European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations EGA European Generic Medicines Association EHR Electronic Health Record EMA European Medicines Agency EMC Electronic Medicines Compendium EMG European Medicines Group EMIG Ethical Medicines Industry Group EMR Electronic Medical Record EPR Electronic Patient Record EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ERG Evidence Review Groups ESRC Economic and Social Research Council EuropaBio European Association for Bioindustries

FAD Final Appraisal Determination FDA Food & Drug Administration (The US licensing authority) FH Foundation Hospital FIH First in Human (regarding clinical studies) FIM First in Man (regarding clinical studies)

FMD Falsified Medicines Directive FOI Freedom of Information FPM Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine

GAVI Global Alliance for and Immunisation GCP Good Clinical Practice GDP Good Distribution Practice GLP Good Laboratory Practice GMP Good Manufacturing Practice GVP Good Vigilance (pharmacovigilance) Practice GDG Guideline Development Group GIRP European Association of the Pharmaceutical Full-Line Wholesalers GMC General Medical Council GMS General Medical Services GPC General Practitioners Committee (part of the BMA) GPhC General Pharmaceutical Council

HCP Healthcare Professional HEAT targets Health Improvement, Efficiency, Access and Treatment HES Hospital Episode Statistics HFEA Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority HiS Healthcare Improvement Scotland HPA Health Protection Agency HRA Health Research Authority HRG Healthcare Resource Group HRSS Health Research Support Service HSC Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland) HSCB Health and Social Care Board (Northern Ireland) HSCIC Health and Social Care Information Centre HSE Health Survey for /Health and Safety Executive HTA Health Technology Assessment HTA Human Tissue Authority

IAPO International Association of Patients’ Organisations ICD-10 International Classification of Diseases ICER Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio ICH International Conference on Harmonisation IFPMA International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations IP Intellectual Property IVF In Vitro Fertilisation

JCVI Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation JPG Japanese Pharmaceutical Group JPMA Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association JV Joint Venture

LCGs Local Commissioning Groups (Northern Ireland) LCRN Local Clinical Research Network LES Local Enhanced Service (part of Quality & Outcomes Framework) LEPs Local Enterprise Partnerships LHB Local Health Board (Wales) LNDG London New Drugs Group LCNDG London Cancer New Drugs Group LPC Local Pharmaceutical Committee LSIDB Life Sciences Innovation Delivery Board LSIO Life Science Investment Organisation

LSUK Life Sciences UK LTCAS Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland

M&TC Medicines and Therapeutics Committee (Wales) MA Marketing Authorisation MAA Marketing Authorisation Application MAG Medicines Access Group MAPPs Medicines Adaptive Pathways to Patients MDT Multi-Disciplinary Team MHRA Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MISG Ministerial Industry Strategy Group MMF Medicines Management Forum (N. Ireland) MMIT Medicines Management Information Team (N. Ireland) MMPB Medicines Management Programme Board (Wales) MMR Measles, Mumps and Rubella combined MMTSG Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy Group MPIG Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry Group MRC Medical Research Council

NAB National Advisory Board (Wales) NAO National Audit Office NAPC National Association of Primary Care NC3Rs National Centre for the Reduction, Refinement and Replacement of Animals in Research NCAS National Clinical Assessment Service NCASP National Clinical Audit Support Programme NCDG New Cardiovascular Drugs Group (Wales) NCRI National Cancer Research Institute NDA National Diabetes Audit NDA New Drug Application NDC New Drugs Committee/National Drug Code NDG National Delivery Group (Wales) NES NHS Education for Scotland NHS NHSBT NHS Blood and Transplant NHSC National Horizon Scanning Centre NHSCB NHS Commissioning Board NHSE NHS England NHSFT NHS Foundation Trust NHS IC NHS Information Centre NHS LA NHS Litigation Authority NHS QIS NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (Scotland) NHS Scotland National Health Service in Scotland NICaN Northern Ireland Cancer Network NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NIHR National Institute for Health Research NIHR CRN National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network NIII National Institute for Innovation and Improvement NLIAH National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (Wales) NISCHR National Institute for Social Care and Health Research (Wales) NMG New Medicines Group NOCRI National Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure NPA National Pharmacy Association NPC National Prescribing Centre NPSA National Patient Safety Agency NRES National Research Ethics Service

NRS NHS Research Scotland NRS Permissions CC NHS Research Scotland Permissions Coordinating Centre NSCG National Specialised Commissioning Group NSF National Service Framework NTA National Treatment Agency

OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OFT Office of Fair Trading OHE Office of Health Economics OLS Office for Life Sciences ODIG Orphan Diseases Industry Group ONS Office for National Statistics OSCHR Office for the Strategic Coordination of Health Research OTC Over-the-counter (medicines)

PACT Prescription Analysis and Cost Tabulation PAGB Proprietary Association of Great Britain PALS Patient Advice and Liaison Service PAPIG Patient and Public Involvement Group PAS Patient Access Scheme PASAG Patient Access Scheme Assessment Group (Scotland) PASLU Patient Access Schemes Liaison Unit WPAS Wales Patient Access Scheme PBC Practice-Based Commissioning PbR Payment by Results PCA Prescription Cost Analysis PCC Patient and Client Council (Northern Ireland) PCP Primary Care Partnerships (Northern Ireland) PCT Primary Care Trust PFA Priorities For Action (Northern Ireland) PHA Agency (Northern Ireland) PHE PIE Pharmaceuticals in the Environment PhRMA Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America PIL Patient Information Leaflet PISB Pharmaceutical Industry Sector Board PMCPA Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority POM Prescription Only Medicine PPRS Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme PSNC Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee PSP Patient Support Programme PSU Prescribing Support Unit PSUR Periodic Safety Update Report PV Pharmacovigilance

QALY Quality-adjusted life year QIPP Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention QMAS Quality Management Analysis System QOF Quality Outcomes Framework QOL Quality of Life QS Quality Standards

R&D Research & Development RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners

RCN Royal College of Nursing RCUK Research Councils UK RCOG Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists RCO Royal College Ophthalmologists RCP Royal College of Physicians RCPCH Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health RCS Royal College of Surgeons REACH European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals RMP Risk Management Plan RPS Royal Pharmaceutical Society RSM Royal Society of Medicine

SAIL Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank (Wales) SCG Specialised Commissioning Group SHTG Scottish Health Technologies Group SHIP ScottisH Informatics Programme (Scotland) SIGN Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (Scotland) SLA Service Level Agreement SMC Scottish Medicines Consortium (HTA body in Scotland) SME Small and Medium Enterprise SmPC/SPC Summary of medicinal Product Characteristics SPC Supplementary Protection Certificate STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics SUSAR Suspected Unexpected Serious Adverse Reaction

TAR Technology Assessment Report TEG Topic Expert Group TRIPs Agreement on Trade-Related aspects of Intellectual Policy rights TRP Translational Research Partnership TSB Technology Strategy Board TTC Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (Cardiff)

UKCRC UK Clinical Research Collaboration UKCRN UK Clinical Research Network UKMi UK Medicines Information UKTI UK Trade and Investment UVIG UK Vaccine Industry Group

VBA Value-based assessment VBP Value-based pricing

WDL Wholesale Dealer’s Licence WeMeReC Welsh Medicines Resource Centre WHO World Health Organization WHSSC Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee WMIC Welsh Medicines Information Centre WMP Welsh Medicines Partnership WTO World Trade Organization WACG All Wales Cancer Drugs Group (supports the AWMSG) WPAS Wales Patient Access Scheme

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