Interpretation

2.—(1) In this order, unless the context otherwise requires—

“the Act” means the Medicines Act 1968;

“antigens” are substances which on administration to a human being or animal are capable of eliciting a specific immunological response;

“antisera” are substances which consist wholly or partly of sera derived from animals which have been immunised against one or more micro-organisms, viruses or other antigens;

“antitoxins” are substances which consist wholly or partly of immunoglobulins of antisera derived from animals which have been immunised against one or more toxins whether detoxified or not;

“corticotrophin” is a substance obtained from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and which contains the peptide hormone that increases the rate at which corticoid hormones are secreted by the adrenal gland;

“heparin” is a substance containing the sodium salt of a sulphated poly-saccharide obtained from mammalian tissues which has the property of prolonging the clotting time of blood in human beings or animals;

“hyaluronidase” is a substance prepared from mammalian testicles or sperm or from other sources of the enzymes which diminish the viscosity of the hyaluronic acid present in mammalian tissues;

“insulin” is a preparation of the specific antidiabetic principle of the pancreas;

“plasma” means the fluid element of uncoagulated blood;

“preparations of the pituitary (posterior lobe)” include the active principles thereof (whether obtained by fractionation of the gland or by synthesis) and derivatives of those principles with the same specific biological action;

“sera” means the fluid element of coagulated blood;

“toxins” are substances used in the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of disease and consisting wholly or partly of poisonous substances derived from specific micro-organisms, plants or animals;

“vaccines” are substances which consist wholly or partly of—

(a)

any micro-organisms, viruses or other organisms in any state,

(b)

any toxins of microbial origin which have been detoxified, or

(c)

any extracts or derivatives of any micro-organisms or of any viruses,

being substances which, when administered to human beings or animals, are used for the prevention or treatment of specific diseases;

and other expressions have the same meaning as in the Act.

(2) The Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply to the interpretation of this order as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.