Click on a letter in the index below to jump to that section in the acronym list. You may also scroll the page to view the entire list of acronyms.
A
AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science
AACC American Association for Clinical Chemists
AAMC Association of American Medical Colleges
AAMI Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
AARP American Association of Retired Persons
ABHI Association of British Health-Care Industries
ACCJ American Chambers of Commerce in Japan
ACS American College of Surgeons
AHA American Hospital Association
AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AMA American Medical Association
ANSI American National Standards Institute
APC Ambulatory Payment Classification
APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Region
APhA American Pharmaceutical Association
APHA American Public Health Association
ASAIO American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
ASC Ambulatory Surgery Center
ASCP American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
ASCRS American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
ASH American Society of Hematology
ASHP American Society of Hospital Pharmacists
ASIM American Society of International Medicine
ASM American Society for Microbiology
ASMT American Society for Medical Technology
ASPE Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (HHS)
ASPRS American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
ASQC American Society for Quality Control
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
B
BBA Balanced Budget Act of 1997
BBRA Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999
BIO Biotechnology Industry Organization
BIPA Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000
BPD Bureau of Policy Development (HCFA) (formerly BERC)
BPO Bureau of Program Operations (HCFA)
BPO Budget and Planning Office (FDA)
C
CAPA Corrective and Preventive Action (System)
CABG Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
CAP College of American Pathologists
CAT Computerized Axial Tomography
CBER Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (FDA)
CBO Congressional Budget Office
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDRH Center for Devices and Radiological Health (FDA)
CE European Community
CEC Commission of the European Communities
CEN Commitee European de Normalisation (European Committee for Standardization)
CENELEC European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CGA Compressed Gas Association
CHI California Healthcare Institute
CHPA Consumer Healthcare Products Association
CITECH Center for Information on Technology in Healthcare
CLI Contact Lens Institute
CLIA Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act
CLMA Clinical Laboratory Management Association
CLSI Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (formerly NCCLS)
CMA Chemical Manufacturers Association
CMP Competitive Medical Plan
CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CNS Central Nervous System
COBRA Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
COC Chamber of Commerce
COCIR Coordination Committee of the Radiological and Electromedical Industries
CON Certificate of Need
CPT Current Procedural Terminology codes
CRS Congressional Research Service
CSA Canadian Standards Association
CSG Council of State Governments
CWS Committee on World Standards
D
DIN Deutsches Institut fur Normung (German standards organization)
DME Durable Medical Equipment
DMERC Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier
DOC Department of Commerce
DOD Department of Defense
DOH Department of Health (UK)
DOL Department of Labor
DRG Diagnosis Related Group
DSMA Division of Small Manufacturers Assistance (FDA)
E
EC European Community
ECCLS European Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards
ECG Electrocardiogram
ECRI Emergency Care Research Institute
ECT Electro Convulsive Therapy
EDI Electronic Data Interchange
EDMA European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association
EEG Electroencephalogram
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ERISA Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
EtO Ethylene Oxide
EU European Union
EUCOMED European Confederation of Medical Suppliers Associations
F
FAHS Federation of American Health Systems (proprietary health systems)
FASA Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994
FCC Federal Communications Commission
FD&C Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act
FDA Food and Drug Administration
FDAMA FDA Modernization Act of 1997
FDLI Food and Drug Law Institute
FOIA Freedom of Information Act
FSS Federal Supply Schedule
G
GAO General Accounting Office
GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GC Gas Chromatograph
GLP Good Laboratory Practices
GMA Grocery Manufacturers Association
GMP Good Manufacturing Practices
GPO Government Printing Office
GPS General and Plastic Surgery
H
HAACP Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points Program
HCFA Health Care Financing Administration (HHS)
HCIS Health Care Information Systems
HDIF Health Care Data Interchange Format
HEDIS Healthplan Employee Data and Information
HFMA Healthcare Financial Management Association
HHS Department of Health and Human Services
HIAA Health Insurance Association of America
HIB Health Insurance Bureau (Japan)
HIBCC Health Industry Business Communications Council
HIDA Health Industry Distributors Association
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HIRA Health Industry Representatives Association
HIS Health Information Systems
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HMO Health Maintenance Organization
HPB Health Protection Board (Canada)
HRSA Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS)
HSQB Health Standard and Quality Bureau (HCFA)
I
IAPM International Association of Medical Prosthesis Manufacturers
IDE Investigational Device Exemption
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IES Institute of Environmental Sciences
IFCC International Federation of Clinical Chemists
IgE Immunoglobulin E
IgG Immunoglobulin G
INDA Investigational New Drug Application
IOL Intraocular Lens
IOLM International Organization of Legal Metrology
IPA Individual Practice Association
IPA Institute for Polyacryclate Sciences
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ITA International Trade Administration (DOC)
IVD In Vitro Diagnostic
J
JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association
JCAHO Joint Committee on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
JCCT Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (US-China)
JETRO Japan External Trade Organization
JFMDA Japan Federation of Medical Device Associations
JISAO Japanese Industrial Society for Artificial Organs
L
LA Legislative Assistant
LAL Limulus Amenocyte Lysate
LVP Large Volume Parenteral
M
MAFI Medical Alert Foundation International
MassMEDIC Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council
MDA Medical Device Amendments
MDD Medical Device Directive
MDMA Medical Device Manufacturers Association
MDR Medical Device Reporting
MDR Medical Device Register
MEDEC Medical Devices Canada
MedGV Germany's Medical Equipment Safety Law
MEDMARC Medical Device Material Assurance and Reinsurance Company, Ltd.
MeDSuN Medical Device Surveillance Network
MEI Medicare Economic Index
MGMA Medical Group Management Association
MHW Ministry of Health and Welfare (Japan, Korea)
MIAA Medical Industry Association of Australia
MITI Ministry of International Trade & Industry (Japan)
MMIC Medical Manufacturers' Information Council
MOPH Ministry of Public Health (China)
MOSS Market-Oriented Sector Selective
MOTIE Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (Korea)
MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
N
NABR National Association for Biomedical Research
NAE National Academy of Engineering
NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement
NAHC National Association of Home Care
NAM National Association of Manufacturers
NAMES National Association of Medical Equipment Services
NAS National Academy of Science
NASPY North American Society of Electro Physiology and Pacing
NCI National Cancer Institute
NCL National Consumer League
NCSC National Council of Senior Citizens
NCSL National Conference of State Legislatures
NDA New Drug Application
NEJM New England Journal of Medicine
NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NGA National Governors Association
NHIB National Health Insurance Bureau (Taiwan)
NHLBI National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIGMS National Institute of General Medical Sciences
NIH National Institutes of Health
NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (HHS)
NIST National Institute of Science and Technology (formerly NBS)
NLN National League for Nursing
NMDC National Medical Device Coalition
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
NSF National Science Foundation
NTIS National Technical Information Service (DOC)
NUBC National Uniform Billing Committee
NWDA National Wholesale Druggists Association
O
OASH Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (HHS)
OBRA Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
ODE Office of Device Evaluation (FDA)
OHTA Office of Health Technology Assessment (PHS)
OIG Office of Inspector General
OMB Office of Management and Budget
OPD Outpatient Department (Hospital)
ORA FDA's Office of Regulatory Affairs
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration (DOL)
P
PAB Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau (Japan)
PBPK Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic
PCPC Personal Care Products Council
PDA Parenteral Drug Association
PDP Product Development Protocol
PDR Physicians Desk Reference
PDUFA Prescription Drug User Fee Act
PE Professional Engineer
PEL Permissable Exposure Limits
PEN Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
PET Positron Emission Tomography
PHS Public Health Service (same as USPHS)
PhRMA Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
PMA Premarket Approval
PMMA Polymethylmethacrylate (used in contact lens manufacture)
POL Physician's Office Laboratory
PPO Preferred Provider Organization
PPQA Pre-Product Quality Assurance
PPRC Physician Payment Review Commission
PRO Professional Review Organization
ProPAC Prospective Payment Assessment Commission
PT Proficiency Testing
PT Physical Therapist or Therapy
Q
QA Quality Assurance
QC Quality Control
QSIT Quality System Inspection Technique
R
R&D Research and Development
RA Regulatory Affairs
RAPS Radiologists, Anesthesiologists, and Pathologists (Hospital-based physicians)
RAPS Regulatory Affairs Professional Society
RAST Radioallergosorbent Test
RBRVS Resource-Based Relative Value Scale
RPAR Rebuttable Presumption Against Registration
RSNA The Radiological Society of North America, Inc.
RTK Right-To-Know
RVS Relative Value Scale
S
SAL Sterility Assurance Level
SET Skin Endpoint Titration
SIP Sickness Index Profile
SMDA Safe Medical Devices Act (1990)
SPAC State Pharmaceutical Administration of China
SPEC Single Photon Emission Tomagraphy
STM Special Treatment Material
T
TAG Technical Advisory Group
TEFRA Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act
TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act
TSS Toxic Shock Syndrome
TUV Technische Uberwachungs-Vereine (German testing laboratories)
U
UL Underwriters Laboratories
USP United States Pharmacopeia
USPHS United States Public Health Services (same as PHS)
USTR U.S. Trade Representative's Office
V
VOC Volatile Organic Compound
W
WGR Women in Government Relations
WHO World Health Organization