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Drug Names
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Oct 11, 2021 09:26:23   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
I was thinking about this idea yesterday. Sometimes when I call the doctor's office to get a prescription renewed, the woman on the phone asks me to spell the name of the drug. Even people in the doctor's office have trouble with these names.



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Oct 11, 2021 10:45:49   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
I thought they picked Scrabble tiles......

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Oct 11, 2021 17:35:05   #
dancers Loc: melbourne.victoria, australia
 
down here we MUST speak to our Doctor to have a repeat prescription sent.

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Oct 12, 2021 06:37:20   #
medphotog Loc: Witness protection land
 
For about 10 years I was one of the narcotic inspectors at our medical center. Every other month I had to go to an area and verify amounts/usage of the drugs on hand. There was always a smirk at some point when I was trying to pronounce certain drugs. However, after a while you learn the "common" name and ruin the nurses fun.

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Oct 12, 2021 06:39:18   #
Red6
 
I think it also has to do with trademark, language, and cultural issues. No one wants to risk using a name that has already been used by another company. To use a name already used may put a company at risk for a lawsuit on trademark infringement. A good example is Verizon, a completely made-up but meaningless name. There are many other odd, newly invented names - Advil, Tylenol, Aleve, Corolla, Camry, Expedex, Kleenex, Tiguan, Lenovo, Google, to name a few. There is also a trend to use letters and numbers such as Ford F-150, F-250, Mercedes E-Class E350, Audi Q3, A5, etc.

Also, no company that sells products internationally wants to inadvertently use a name that sends the wrong message or offends non-English speakers in some way. A word that is innocuous in English may have an entirely different meaning in another language.

For example, the Chevy Nova was a pretty good car in its day. However, in Spanish, No va means no go or not going. Maybe not a good name for something built for reliable transportation.

For drugs that will be promoted to the general public, the name should also flow from the tongue easily, especially those advertised on TV with a catchy tune or catchphrase. A few minutes of TV watching and you should see several of these.

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Oct 12, 2021 07:44:28   #
Kespina
 
Spelling the drug's name is a safety issue. There are drugs that sound similar, by having you spell it out the office staff is clarifying you are requesting the right medication. And yes some drugs are real tounge twisters and hard to pronounce!

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Oct 12, 2021 07:49:05   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 

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Oct 12, 2021 08:28:32   #
alexol
 
On one country I lived for a while - it might have been Iran, but possibly not - the local toilet paper was called Suna. The logo and other details were printed on clear cellophane (or whatever it is they use).

To every English-speaking expat's amusement, occasional batches would be wrapped inside out, renaming the product somewhat.

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Oct 12, 2021 09:26:48   #
killroy
 
On the topic of drug names, I live in Michigan. A few short years ago marijuana was legalized. If you want a few chuckles, google Michigan marijuana stores and pick one, look up the names of their inventory. By the way, there are marijuana stores seemingly on every corner now. Nothing changed, no “hippies” walking around stoned on the streets. Lots of brand new buildings popped up and many older eyesore buildings were renovated for this new venture. Also a couple manufacturing/growers built large buildings to help the new trade along. Overall it has been a positive thing for our community. PS, I am not a partoker myself.

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Oct 12, 2021 09:45:43   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
Everytime a commercial for a drug airs on TV, I wonder who and how they come up with these names? Come on man!!!

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Oct 12, 2021 10:02:23   #
PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA
 
dancers wrote:
down here we MUST speak to our Doctor to have a repeat prescription sent.


In general, a new prescription must be authorized by a physician, a PA, or a NP here in the states. For a refill a simple call to the pharmacy may suffice.

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Oct 12, 2021 13:16:02   #
elee950021 Loc: New York, NY
 
Red6 wrote:
I think it also has to do with trademark, language, and cultural issues...

Also, no company that sells products internationally wants to inadvertently use a name that sends the wrong message or offends non-English speakers in some way. A word that is innocuous in English may have an entirely different meaning in another language...

For drugs that will be promoted to the general public, the name should also flow from the tongue easily, especially those advertised on TV with a catchy tune or catchphrase. A few minutes of TV watching and you should see several of these.
I think it also has to do with trademark, language... (show quote)


Here are 8 disastrous product names: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/21622/8-disastrous-product-names

Be well! Ed

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Oct 12, 2021 15:01:02   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
elee950021 wrote:
Here are 8 disastrous product names: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/21622/8-disastrous-product-names

Be well! Ed


Different times and different places.

England was a disasterous market for a Coca Cola product, but I forget which one. I came out around the time of a polluted water scandal.

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Oct 12, 2021 15:07:30   #
scallihan Loc: Tigard, OR
 
alberio wrote:
Everytime a commercial for a drug airs on TV, I wonder who and how they come up with these names? Come on man!!!


Pharmaceutical naming of drugs is a specific process. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-do-drugs-get-named/2019-08

Computer programs are used to develop the commercial brand names, investigate for copyright name infringement, etc. Then the runners up are presented to focus groups to determine public acceptability. It can take several years for a drug, once developed, patented, and FDA approved, to actually come to market as a brand name.

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Oct 12, 2021 15:24:50   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
scallihan wrote:
Pharmaceutical naming of drugs is a specific process. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-do-drugs-get-named/2019-08

Computer programs are used to develop the commercial brand names, investigate for copyright name infringement, etc. Then the runners up are presented to focus groups to determine public acceptability. It can take several years for a drug, once developed, patented, and FDA approved, to actually come to market as a brand name.


Thanks for the link, because I was beginning to wonder how these weird names come about.

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