Generic Medicine Names

Drug is defined, in broad and very non-specific terms as any substance that is taken into the body, through any means, intended to alter the body functions and processes. Drugs may be used as cures for certain medical conditions, or they may also be used purely for recreational purposes. In pharmacology, Dictionary.com defines a drug as "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders. Medicine is just an alternative name for drug.

When a drug is first discovered, it is given a chemical name according to its chemical composition and International Union of Pure and  Applied Chemistry rules. Since chemical names are usually very long and complicated, its not feasible for pharmacists and researchers to use those names. The complexity of chemical name makes it impractical to remember every drug name. A shorthand version of drug name is thus devised, or a code is given to the chemical name until it is presented to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approved. FDA then decides a formal name for that drug, known as Generic Drug Name. Trade names are the names chosen by the manufacturing company and are usually easier to remember.

generic drugs namesGovernment officials, researchers, doctors, and others who write about the new compounds use the drug’s generic name because it refers to the drug itself, not to a particular company’s brand of the drug or a specific product. However, doctors often use the trade name on prescriptions, because it is easier to remember and doctors usually learn about new medicine by the trade name. Generic drug names are usually harder to remember as compared to trade names. Generic names are generally shorthand versions of the actual chemical formula of drug. It may even be just a part of the chemical name. Trade names, on the other hand, are catchy and easy to understand. They may refer to the chemical composition or the desired outcome.

generic medication namesThe term generic, is generally assumed to be a low-quality version of a trade or brand name product. This applies to major household and food items, but medicine is devoid of it. Generic medicines are just as effective as brand name medicines. In fact, generic drug makers manufacture many trade-name products for companies that control the trade names. Sometimes, more than one generic version of a drug is available. For example, many manufacturers sell versions of Acetaminophen.

This name is approved by FDA and used by doctors, researchers and pharmacists internationally. When a drug is discovered or prepared, the manufacturer has to get approval from FDA before they start selling the product in pharmacies. They also have to patent a name associated with the drug as an internationally recognized name. This name, the Generic
drug name is usually a shorthand version of chemical name of the drug.

Generic Medicine Basic Notions
A generic medicine is marketed in compliance with international patent law. It is identified either by its internationally approved non-proprietary scientific name (INN) or by its own brand name. 

Generic Medicine
A brand name is a name given by the manufacturing company to differentiate their product from other similar products in the market. Another important reason behind giving brand name to a medicine is that generic names are long.

Generic Medicine
Why do medicines sometimes have more than one name? Posted by: admin : Category: Generic Medicine. Why do medicines sometimes have more than one name? Medicines will often have more than one name: a generic name

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2 Responses to “Generic Medicine Names”

  1. [...] Generic Names For Prescription Drugs Drug is defined, in broad and very non-specific terms as any substance that is taken into the body, through any means, intended to alter the body functions.  Mail this post [...]

  2. [...] Generic Medicine Names FDA then decides a formal name for that drug, known as Generic Drug Name. Trade names are the names chosen by the manufacturing company and are usually easier to remember. [...]

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