What is the term for any serum, vaccine, antitoxin, or antigen used in the prevention or treatment of disease?

The term "biologic" refers specifically to a category of products that are derived from living organisms and are used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of diseases. This includes serums, vaccines, antitoxins, and antigens, all of which are designed to interact with biological systems to elicit a response that helps to combat or prevent disease.

Biologics are regulated as distinct entities because of their unique production processes and complex nature, which often involve living cells or tissues. These products are critical in veterinary and human medicine for establishing immunity, treating infections, and providing therapeutic effects.

In contrast, the other options do not cover the same scope. Pharmaceuticals generally refer to medicinal compounds meant for treatment but do not necessarily include biological products. Diagnostics imply tools or methods used to identify diseases, rather than direct prevention or treatment. Supplements typically consist of nutritional or dietary products that support health but do not directly involve the same mechanisms as biologics.