What is an ACRONYM?

According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary, an acronym is: “a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term; also : an abbreviation (as FBI) formed from initial letters”

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ΔPDelta Pressure, Change in pressure between two or more areas.
µ Micron or Micrometer ((µm, often abbreviated as um, micron or µ) A unit of length; one-millionth of a meter or 10,000 angstroms.)
Electrical Phase Symbol
356h FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - New Drug Application
482 FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - Notice of Inspection form
483 FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - Inspectional Observations form
484 FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - Receipt of Samples form
510(k) FDA Acronym (Device applications) - premarket notification
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AATB American Association of Tissue Banks
ACH Air Change per Hour
ACL Computer Acronym - Access Control Level -or- Access Control List
AE Adverse Event
AGAB PDA Acronym - Audit Guidance Advisory Board
ALCOA FDA Acronym - Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate
ANDA FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - Abbreviated New Drug Application
ANPRM Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (FDA)
ANSI American National Standards Institute
API Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
APA Aseptic Processing Area
APS Aseptic Processing Simulation
AQL Acceptable Quality Level
ASHRAEAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
AVL Computer Acronym - Approved Vendor List
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BAS Building Automation System
BBP Bloodborne Pathogens
BiB FDA Acronym - Bioinformatics Board
BioABPDA Acronym - Biotechnology Advisory Board
BLA FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - biologics license application
BMCS Building Management and Control System
BMS Building Management System
BOCA Building Officals and Code Administrators International
BOD Basis of Design
BOM Computer Acronym - Bills of Materials
BOP Batch Operating Procedure
BRBs FDA Acronym - Business Review Boards
BSC Biological Saftey Cabinet
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CAD Computer Acronym - Computer Aided Design
CAM Computer Acronym - Computer Aided Manufacturing
CAPA Corrective and Preventive Action
CAx Computer Acronym - Product Design
CBER Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
CCR Change Control Request
CDASH FDA Acronym - Clinical Data Acquisition Standards Harmonization
CDER Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
CDISC FDA Acronym - Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium
CDRH Center for Devices and Radiological Health
cfm Cubic Feet per Minute
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
21CFR, Code of Federal Regulations - Section 211.25 Signatures
21CFR, Code of Federal Regulations - Section 211.46 Disaster Recovery
CFSAN FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
CFU Colony Forming Unit
cGAP current Good Auditing Practice
cGBPs current Good Business Practices
cGDP current Good Documentation Practice
cGISP current Good Information Systems Practice
cGMP current Good Management Practice
cGMP current Good Manufacturing Practice
cGSP current Good Safety Practice
CGTP FDA Acronym - Current Good Tissue Practice
CIP Clean In Place - applies to cleaning equipment, vessels +/or piping that's too large to disassemble in order to clean.
CMC FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - chemistry, manufacturing, and controls
CMO Contract Manufacturing Organization
COC Chain of Custody
COP Clean Out of Place - applies to parts, equipment or vessels that are removed from their operating locations to be cleaned.
COP Communities of Practice. (Relating to GAMP)
COTS Commercial Off The Shelf
CPGM FDA Acronym - Compliance Program Guidance Manual
CRM Computer Acronym - Customer Relationship Management
CRM:248State Specific - Code of Massachusetts Regulations - Plumbing Codes
CRM:310State Specific - Code of Massachusetts Regulations - Environmental Protection requirements
CRO FDA Acronym (Contract organizations) - Contract Research Organization
CSV FDA Acronym - Computer System Validation
CTU Control Temperature Unit
CV CurriculaVitae
CVM FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Center for Veterinary Medicine
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D&E FDA Acronym - Development and Execution
DAARTS  FDA Acronym - Workflow Tracking and Information Management System
DAS Data Acquisition System
DCS Document Control System
DDS Detailed Design Specification
DFM Computer Acronym - Design For Manufacturing
DHRs Computer Acronym - Device History Records
DMF FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - drug master file
DMM Digital Multimeter
DO FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - District Office
DOE Design of Experiment
DOP Dispersed Oil Particulate
DOP HEPA Filter Testing - Di-Octyl Phthalate
DQ Design Qualification
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E-FactorPDA Acronym - Dutch Professor Roger Sheldon, Delft University of Technology, put the ´E´ in E-factor in the late 1980s. The E-Factor , or Environmental Factor, is the ratio of the mass of waste per unit of product. The factor is widely used for determining the efficiency and environmental impact of chemical processes.
EA FDA Acronym - Target Enterprise Architecture
EC European Community
ECA Environmentally Controlled Area
ECMS Computer Acronym - Electronic Content Management Systems
ECR Environmentally Controlled Room
eCRF FDA Acronym - Electronic Case Report Form
eDHR Computer Acronym - electronic Device History Record
EDMS Computer Acronym - Electronic Document Management Ssystems
EDR FDA Acronym - Electronic Document Room
EER Equipment Excursion Report
EIR FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - Establishment Inspection Report
EM Environmental Monitoring
EMR Electronic Medical Record
ERP Computer Acronym - Enterprise Resource Planning
ESG FDA Acronym - Electronic Submissions Gateway
EU European Union
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FAT Field Acceptance Test
FAERSFDA Acronym - FDA-wide Adverse Event Reporting System
FDA U.S.Food and Drug Administration
FD&C FDA Acronym - Act Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
FDCA FDA Acronym - Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
FOI FDA Acronym - freedom of information
FOIA FDA Acronym - Freedom of Information Act
FQ Facility Qualification
FR FDA Acronym - Federal Register
FRS Functional Requirements Specification
FS/CSFunctional and Configuration Requirements Combined Specification
ft3Cubic Feet
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GAC Granular Activated Carbon
GAMP Good Automation Manufacturing Practices
GAMP4Good Automation Manufacturing Practices Released 2001
GAMP5Good Automation Manufacturing Practices Released 2008
GCP Good Clinical Practice
GLP Good Laboratory Practice
GMP Good Manufacturing Practice
GPM Gallons per Minute
GTP FDA Acronym - Good Tissue Practice
GTAW Welding Acronym - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
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HEPA High Efficiency Particle Air Filter
HHS FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HL7 FDA Acronym - Health Level Seven
HVAC Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Hz Hertz (Number of cycles per second)
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IAC Indoor Air Quality
IB FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Inspections Branch
IC Inorganic Carbon
ICH FDA Acronym - International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use
ICH International Conference on Harmonisation
ICT21FDA Acronym - Information Computer Technology for the 21st century
IDE FDA Acronym (Device applications) - Investigational Device Exemption
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
inAq Inches of Water [1 inAq = .036126 psi, or 27.67936 inAq = 1 psi]
IND FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - Investigational New Drug application
IOM FDA Acronym - Inspections Operations Manual
IPQ PDA Acronym - International Pharaceutical Quality
IQ Installation Qualification
IOQ Installation/Operational Qualification
ISO International Standards Organization
ISPE International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering
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LCC Living Cell Construct
LCD Computer Acronym - Liquid Crystal Dispaly
LOQ Limit of Quantitation
LPM Liters Per Minute
LQD Limit of detection
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M3Cubic Meter
MDR Medical Device Reporting
MES Computer Acronym - Manufacturing Execution System
MOC Material of Construction
MOU PDA Acronym - Memorandum of Understanding
MP Master Protocol
MPM Computer Acronym - Manufacturing Planning Management
MRP Computer Acronym - Manufacturing Resource Planning
MVP Validation Acronym - Master Validation Plan
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N/A Not Applicable
NAI FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - No Action Indicated
NB National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors
NBBI National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors
NCE FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - new chemical entity
NCLR Non-Clinical Laboratory Study Report
NCLVP Non-Clinical Validation Protocol
NCLVR Non-Clinical Validation Report
NCMR Non-Conforming Material Report
NDA FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - New Drug Application
NEC National Electrical Code
NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NFPA National Fire Protection Code
NIH FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - National Institutes of Health
NIST National Institutes of Standards and Technology
NME FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - new molecular entity
NPD Computer Acronym - New Product Development
NRC National Research Council
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OAI FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - Official Action Indicated
OCC FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Office of Chief Counsel
OCR Computer Acronym - Optical Character Recognition
OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development
OGC FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Office of General Counsel
OI FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Office of Investigations
OIG FDA Acronym (FDA centers and offices) - Office of Inspector General
OIT Operator Interface Terminal
OOS FDA Acronym - Out Of Specification
OOT Out of Trend
OQ FDA Acronym - operational qualification
OQ Operational Qualification
OPIM Other Potentially Infectious Material
OPQ Operational/Performance Qualification
ORA Office of Regulatory Affairs
OSHA Occupational Health and Safety Administration
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PAC Programmable Automation Controller
PAPR Powered Air Purifying Respirator
PCR Product Complaint Report
PIC/SPharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme
PD Planned Deviation/Planned Departure
PDM Computer Acronym - Product Data Management
PE Process or Performance Evaluation
PFA Perfluoroalkoxyalkane (ASTM Spec. D3307)
PLM Computer Acronym - Product Lifecycle Management
PM Preventative Maintenance
PMA FDA Acronym (Device applications) - Premarket Approval
PMM Computer Acronym - Product and Portfolio Management
PP Polypropylene (ASTM Spec. D4101)
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
ppm Parts per Million
PQ FDA Acronym - performance qualification
PQ Performance Qualification
psig Pounds per Square Inch - gauge
PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene (ASTM Spec. D4894 & D4895)
PV FDA Acronym - process validation
PV Process Variable
PVDF Polyvinylidene Fluoride (ASTM Spec. D3222)
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QA FDA Acronym - quality assurance
QC FDA Acronym - quality control
QMS Quality Management System
QS Latin - Quantum satis - meaning 'the amount which is needed'
QS FDA Acronym - quality system
QSR FDA Acronym - Quality System Regulation
Qty Quantity
QU FDA Acronym - quality unit
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rDNA recombinant DNA
RH Relative Humidity
RGA Return Goods Authorization
RIM FDA Acronym - Reference Information Model
RM FDA Acronym (Drug applications) - raw material
RMA Return Material Authorization
RPS FDA Acronym - Regulated Product Submission
RO Reverse Osmosis
RQ Re-Qualification
RS Reference Standard
RTU Ready To Use
RV Re-Validation
Rw Reagent Water
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SAB PDA Acronym - Science Advisory Board
SAE Serious Adverse Event
SAT Site Acceptance Test
SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
SCC Standards Council of Canada
SCFM Standard Cubic Feet per Minute
SDMP Systems Development Master Plan
SHFDA PDA Acronym - Shanghai Municipal FDA
SIFDS PDA Acronym - Shanghai Institute for Food and Drug Safety
SIP Sterilize In Place - applies to sterilizing equipment, vessels +/or piping that's too large to fit into an autoclave.
SISPQ Safety, Identity, Strength, Purity and Quality
SLC System Life Cycle
SLPM Standard Liters Per Minute
SMACNABuilding Acronym - Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association
SOA FDA Acronym - Service Oriented Architecture
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SSS Sucrose Stock Standard
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TC Total Carbon
TOC Total Organic Carbon - a basic, broadband measure of cleanliness. Also one of the critical measurements of water quality.
TOP Turn Over Package.
TPD Total Percent Defective
TRI PDA Acronym - Training and Reasearch Institute
TSA Microbiological Media - Tryptic Soy Agar
TSB Microbiological Media - Tryptic Soy Broth
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UAT Computer Acronym - User Acceptance Testing
UD Un-planned Deviation/Un-planned Departure
UK United Kingdom
uL microliter/microliters
UL FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - untitled letter
UL Underwriters Laboratories
UNII FDA Acronym - Unique Ingredient Identifiers
UPS Computer Acronym - Uninterruptible Power Supply
UQL Unacceptable Quality Level
URS User Requirements Specification
USA United States of America
USP Unitied States Pharmacopeia
USPNF FDA Acronym - United States Pharmacopeia National Formulary
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VAI FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - Voluntary Action Indicated
VFD Variable Frequency Drive
VFR Validation Final Report
VMP FDA Acronym - validation master plan
VPDR Validation Acronym - Validation Protocol Discrepancy Report
VP Validation Acronym - Validation Protocol
VPP Validation Acronym - Validation Project Plan
VRA Validation Acronym - Validation Risk Assessment
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WFI Water for Injection - high purity water used to formulate and clean in biotech and pharmaceutical processes.
WIP Computer Acronym - Work in Process
WL FDA Acronym (Inspection forms) - warning letter
WOG Water-Oil-Gas A rating designation generally used for small valves chiefly in low ratings. Indicates maximum working pressure at ambient + 32oF to +100oF.
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