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Volume Specific - Index | Who's Who

Volume 7: Medicines and Cosmetics
Glossary

For fuller explanations of some of these terms, and of others elsewhere in the Report, see the main Glossary in vol. 16: Reference Material (or via an electronic link in the website and CD-ROM versions).

Abattoir

Slaughterhouse

ACVO

Assistant Chief Veterinary Officer

ADROIT

Adverse Drug Reactions On-Line Information Tracking database

Adsorbed

Adsorbed vaccines involve the adhesion of a substance to an organic particle in the solution

AFRC

Agriculture and Food Research Council

AHVG

Animal Health Veterinary Group

AMD

Animal Medicines Division, Animal Health Directorate

Antibodies

Protein molecules produced by the body as its primary immune defence

ATC

Animal test certificate

Autoclave

Apparatus which uses superheated steam under high pressure. Widely used in hospitals and laboratories to sterilise material

BABs

Cattle that are verified as having been Born After ruminant feed Ban on 18 July 1988, and that are confirmed to be BSE positive on histopathological, or scrapie-associated fibrils, examination

BC

Biologicals Committee, MAFF

BGA

German Federal Health Office

bovine

Of, relating to or resembling members of the Bovidae group of animals (ie, cattle)

BP&S

Biological Products and Standards Department, CVL

British Isles

England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

BSA

Bovine serum albumin

BSC

Biologicals Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) (also referred to as CSM/BSC)

BSE

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, a slowly progressinve and ultimately fatal neurological disorder of adult cattle. See also TSE

BSEWG

BSE Working Group of the CSM, CDSM and CRM

Buffy coat

Layer of white cells at the interface between supernatant plasma and the red cell deposit that remains after blood is centrifuged

BWP

Biotechnology Working Party of the CPMP

Casein

Proteins isolated from milk

CDSM

Committee on Dental and Surgical Materials

CEC

Commission of the European Communities

CHS

Chemical Hazards Section, CSU

CJD

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a human spongiform encephalopathy

CMO

Chief Medical Officer, DH

COLIPA

European cosmetics trade association

CPMP

Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products, EC/EU

CRM

Committee on the Review of Medicines

CSG

Chief Scientists Group, MAFF

CSM

Committee on Safety of Medicines

CSU

Consumer Safety Unit, DTI

CTC

Clinical trial certificate

CTPA

Cosmetics, Toiletries and Perfumery Association Ltd, UK

CTX

Clinical Trial Exemption

CVL

Central Veterinary Laboratory, MAFF

CVMP

Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, EC/EU

CVO

Chief Veterinary Officer

DCMO

Deputy Chief Medical Officer

DES

Department of Education and Science

DH

Department of Health (from 1988)

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid

DTI

Department of Trade and Industry

DTP

Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine

Dura mater

The outermost and strongest of the three membranes or meninges which envelop the brain and spinal cord

Dural implant

Implant of dura mater into the body as part of a medical device

EC

(1) Usually, European Community (or Communities). When the European Union came into existence on 1 November 1993 as a result of the Maastricht Treaty, it incorporated but did not replace the EC. The term EC is still sometimes used in this context. Throughout the volumes of this Report the term EU is more generally used for consistency's sake (even if sometimes chronologically incorrect), except where specific reference is made to the functions conferred by the European Community Treaty or to its legal effect

(2) Sometimes, European Commission (known as the Commission of the European Communities before 1993)

ECWPC

EC Working Party on Cosmetics

EMEA

European Medicines Evaluation Agency

encephalopathy

A degenerative disorder of the brain

EU

European Union. See also EC

excipient

A basically inert substance added to give an appropriate consistency or form to a drug

FCS

foetal calf serum

HEF M

Health Aspects of Environment and Food Medical, DH

HPSS

Health and Personal Social Services Group, DH

HSE

Health and Safety Executive

HVMBG

Human and Veterinary Medicines Briefing Group

IAH

Institute for Animal Health

Iatrogenesis

Any adverse mental or physical condition induced in a patient through the effects of treatment by a physician or surgeon (adjective: iatrogenic). (Taber)

ic

intercerebrally, ie, into the brain

IKS

Federal Swiss regulatory authority for pharmaceuticals

ISPA

The Pathology and Blood Transfusion Services Branch of the Inspectorate of Anatomy, Scientific Services, Pathology

IYSC

In Year Service Contract; CVL surveillance work commissioned by CVO

JCVI

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

Licensing Authority

Health and Agriculture Ministers, having responsibility for human and veterinary medicines licensing under the Medicines Act 1968

Lipids

Biological molecules only slightly soluble in water; includes fats and waxes

MAFF

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

MAIL

Medicines Act Information Leaflet

MBM

Meat and bone meal. Animal-derived protein produced by rendering. Used as a protein source in animal feed

MB1

Administrative branch, Medicines Division, DH

MB1B

Section of MB1 responsible for the product licence database

MB1C

Section in MB1 providing the administrative lead on policy for medicines licensing issues for which the CSM was the appropriate advisory body

MB3A

New drugs and biologicals branch, Medicines Division, DH

MB3B

Review of medicines and dental and surgical materials branch, Medicines Division, DH

MB4

Adverse reactions and post-marketing surveillance branch, Medicines Division, DH

MB5

Pharmaceutical branch, Medicines Division, DH

MB5A

Professional pharmaceutical aspects of Medicines Act, Medicines Division, DH

MB5B

Medicines inspectorate, Medicines Division, DH

MB5C

British Pharmacopoeia Commission, Medicines Division, DH

MCA

Medicines Control Agency

MDA

Medical Devices Agency

MDD

Medical Devices Directorate

MED TEP

Medical Toxicology Environmental Protection; also known as Medical Toxicology and Environmental Health (MED TEH)

MHD

Meat Hygiene Divison, MAFF

MMR

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine

Monoclonal antibodies

Identical antibodies made in large amount in the laboratory

MRC

Medical Research Council

MRS

Manufacturers' Registration Scheme

NHS

National Health Service

NIBSC

National Institute for Biological Standards and Control

NOAH

National Office of Animal Health

NPU

Neuropathogenesis Unit

Offal

Internal organs and entrails of animals

Ovine

Of or relating to sheep

Parenteral inoculation

Inoculation by any route other than by the mouth or by the bowel

PD

Procurement Directorate, DH

Pericardium tissue

A double membranous sac which envelops and protects the heart

PES

Public Expenditure Survey

PG

Policy Group (MAFF)

PHLS

Public Health Laboratory Service

phospholipids

Lipids containing one or more phosphate groups

PLR

Product Licence of Right

PLUS

Product Licence User System

PMO

Principal Medical Officer

Porcine

Of or characteristic of pigs

protein

A folded chain of amino acids

PSTS

Pharmaceutical Supply and Technology Section

render

(rendering process) Processing offal and other parts of discarded animal carcasses to make MBM and tallow

RMD

Research Management Division, DH

RVC

Royal Veterinary College

SARS

Suspected Adverse Reactions Scheme

SBO

Specified Bovine Offal

SCC

Scientific Committee on Cosmetology

Scrapie

A spongiform encephalopathy (SE) endemic in British sheep. Also found in goats. Can be transmitted experimentally to other animals such as mice. The experimental model for work on spongiform encephalopathies

SEAC

Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee

SEAR

Safety, Efficacy and Adverse Reactions subcommittee of the CSM

slow viruses

An umbrella term for those viruses whose effects on the nervous system take a long time to show after their initial infection of the host

SMO

Senior Medical Officer

Southwood Working Party

Established in May 1988 to examine the implications of BSE in relation to both animal and human health, and to advise the Government

SPMO

Senior Principal Medical Officer

Sporadic disease

Occurring in single cases here and there, as distinct from an epidemic

STD

Supplies Technology Division, Procurement Directorate, DH

SVS

State Veterinary Service

therapeutic bovine anti-serum

Serum containing immunoglobulins against specified antigens

titre

A measure of concentration of a substance (in this Report, of an infectious agent) in a solution

topical

Of drugs or treatments applied locally to the area being treated

TSE

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Disease of the neurological system. Spongy degeneration of the brain with progressive dementia. Examples in humans include CJD and kuru. Among animals: scrapie and BSE

Tuberculin PPD

Tuberculosis antigen injected into the skin to test for previous infection by tuberculosis bacteria

Tyrrell Committee

Consultative Committee on Research, established 27 February 1989 on the recommendation of the Southwood Report and chaired by Dr Tyrrell, to advise MAFF and DH on research into spongiform encephalopathies. Reestablished as SEAC in April 1990

vCJD

New variant CJD

VMD

Veterinary Medicines Directorate

VPC

Veterinary Products Committee

WHO

World Health Organisation

Zoonosis

Animal disease which can be transmitted to humans

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