Drug Nomenclature

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DRUG NOMENCLATURE
Sabine Kopp-Kubel

Ordnung is die Verbindung des Vielen nach einer Regel
Order is the combination of amounts according to a rule.
Emmanuel Kant

I Trade names andnonproprietary names
II Drug nomenclature
A International Nonproprietary Names for
pharmaceutical substances (INN)
B Common names selected by the
International Standards Organization
(ISO)
III Use andprotection of nonproprietary names
Summary
References

697
697

Nonproprietary names, also called generic or common
names, are intended to be used as public property without
restraint, i.e.nobody should own any rights on their usage.
These names are usually designated by national or
international nomenclature commissions.
Both trade names and nonproprietary names are normallypublished first in the form of proposals. Comments may be
made and objections raised for a certain time period before
final publication.
Although both nonproprietary names and trade names
may appearsimilar in form to an outsider, there is, in fact, a
big difference. Firstly, nonproprietary names are designations to identify the active pharmaceutical drug substance
rather than the final product.Secondly, the selection of a
nonproprietary name follows established rules so that the
name itself communicates to the medical and pharmaceutical health professional to which therapeutic orpharmacological group the active drug substance belongs.

697

703
704
704
705

I TRADE NAMES AND
NONPROPRIETARY NAMES
Most products available on the market are nowadays
identified by a trade name.This is also true in the
pharmaceutical field. In many countries trade names, also
called trademarks or brand names, are used when prescribing, dispensing, selling, promoting or buying a medicament.Trade names are usually selected by the owner of the
product and registered in national trademark or patent
offices. They are private property and can be used only with
the consent of the owner of...