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Above the Line Advertising
Promotional materials, including detail aids, journal advertising and mailings, which promote approved uses to doctors.
(see also DTC Advertising)

Absorption (of Drugs)
The transfer of drugs and other substances from body surfaces (e.g. alimentary tract, skin) into the blood stream.

Acquisition Costs
The purchasing costs of a commodity to an individual or establishment.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
A component of quality of life encompassing those behaviors that are fundamental to an independent existence, such as eating, bathing and dressing.

Ad Hoc Research (see Research Studies)

Adverse Events
Unwanted experiences observed or reported by patients during the administration of a drug whether or not these are directly attributable to the drug.

Adverse Reaction
Unwanted physical or psychological signs and symptoms resulting from a therapy.

Advertising
Refers to advertisements in the pharmaceutical field placed in medico-scientific journals promoting approved uses of medication, or to announce the impending launch of a new product.

Advertorial
Advertisement designed to give the appearance of editorial.

Advisory Board
Small, closed meeting of worldwide, leading experts which provides full and frank advice on specific issues.

Advocacy Group
Lobbying group for example, on behalf of patients with specific diseases; some more vocal and influential than others. May include clinicians and other healthcare professionals. Groups mainly national but from international federations.

Affinity Marketing
Campaign or event jointly sponsored by a number of non-competitive companies with a common interest. e.g. Football World Cup.

Allocative Efficiency
The status or pattern of resource allocation at which no change in spending can lead to further improvement in the welfare of one person without reducing the welfare of another.

Analysis (in Marketing Research)
The process of reducing (summarizing) data to make it more comprehensible.

• Qualitative Analysis - This occurs in two stages.
• Content Analysis - Analysts listen to the audio tape (in their own language), transfer the content (into the required language).
• Overview Analysis - The researcher interprets and groups responses.
  
  
Quantitative Analysis - All responses are coded and data entered (punched) into a data processing program which produces tables which can then be interpreted.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
Statistical test used with interval data to determine if k (k>2) samples come from populations with equal means.

Analytic Perspective
The viewpoint from which a health economic evaluation is performed (e.g. insurers, government, patients, society).

Animatic
A film or video representation of a TV advertisement, using a sequence of drawings or simple cartoon animations. Used for advertisement
pre-testing to avoid the production costs of a finished commercial.

Applied Research (see Research Studies)

Approved Name
Generic name approved by WHO for worldwide use, using standard systems depending on drug class. BAN and USAN are the British and US approved names.

Attitude Scales (see Rating Scale)

Attitudes (see Motivations)

Attributes
Those dimensions or properties of a company, product or service which descriptively characterize that product or service.