wma

WMA is an acronym with several uses in technology and medicine. The most widely recognized meanings are Windows Media Audio and the World Medical Association.

Windows Media Audio (WMA) is a family of audio codecs developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows Media Technologies framework. It provides lossy audio compression at bitrates from 48 kbps to several hundred kbps, with higher‑quality variants such as WMA Pro for multichannel audio and WMA Lossless for exact restoration. A standard WMA file typically uses the ASF container and may be secured with Windows Media DRM. Introduced in 1999 alongside Windows Media Player 7, WMA was positioned as an alternative to MP3 and AAC. It has seen broad support on Windows and Xbox platforms, and some non‑Windows players; however, its market share has declined relative to more universal formats. WMA Voice is a low‑bitrate variant optimized for spoken audio.

World Medical Association (WMA) is an international medical organization representing physicians worldwide. Founded in 1947 in the wake of World War II to promote medical ethics, it coordinates physicians’ professional standards and patient safety. The WMA issues ethical guidelines and statements on topics such as patient rights, clinical research, and public health. It is best known for the Declaration of Helsinki, a set of principles guiding ethical conduct in medical research involving human participants. The organization is composed of national medical associations and operates through a General Assembly and a governing council. It advocates for global health improvements, medical professionalism, and the protection of human rights within medicine.