Medications: brand names vs generic names

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SteelMaiden
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11 Jan 2011, 1:49 am

Is it just because I'm a pharmacology student or are there other people here that wince when you see someone refer to a drug by its brand name? I.e. "I take Celexa", "Seroquel is....." ARGH


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Kaybee
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11 Jan 2011, 3:05 am

My inner pedant says: If they take the brand name, it makes sense to refer to the brand name. If they take the generic, they should refer to the generic name. It is a minor thing, however.


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kx250rider
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11 Jan 2011, 12:51 pm

I think it's like how we all say we'll "Xerox" that paper, even if the copier at hand is an IBM or a Canon. Or we put something in the Fridge, even if we have a Whirlpool refrigerator (as opposed to the original Frigidaire).

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gramirez
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11 Jan 2011, 1:24 pm

People are more likely to be familiar with brand names than generics. If I were to mention "Prozac", everyone would know what I was talking about. If I said "Fluoxetine", the generic prozac, I doubt many people would know what that is.


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nick007
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11 Jan 2011, 5:56 pm

I'm going to say what most are probably thinking.
EXTREMELY CONFUSING


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SteelMaiden
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12 Jan 2011, 8:36 am

Fair enough. I have the BNF (British National Formulary book) at home and I think it is terribly confusing to have multiple brand names for one medication. And different countries sometimes use different brand names. Too confusing


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markko
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12 Jan 2011, 4:39 pm

SteelMaiden wrote:
Is it just because I'm a pharmacology student or are there other people here that wince when you see someone refer to a drug by its brand name? I.e. "I take Celexa", "Seroquel is....." ARGH


You're going to hate most doctors and nurses. They interchange brand names and generic names all the time, sometimes in the same sentence. I'm one of those nurses. All the places I've worked allow brand name and generic drugs to be interchanged. A doctor will give me a verbal order for "meperidine 50 mg IM q 3-4 hrs prn pain" and I'll write it as "Demerol." If I get an order for "Advil 200 mg PO q 6 hrs for fever >37.5°," I'll write it as ibuprofin."



the_curmudge
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12 Jan 2011, 6:34 pm

Of course, to be precise people should use the generic name. But it may be several syllables long and contain hidden pronunciation traps that snare the uninitiated. The brand name is simple to pronounce and three syllables long, tops, and was designed to stick in the mind of consumers.



Kaybee
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12 Jan 2011, 6:39 pm

SteelMaiden wrote:
... I think it is terribly confusing to have multiple brand names for one medication. And different countries sometimes use different brand names. Too confusing


I agree. It would be clearer if everyone used the generic, but most people don't want or find it hard to remember such long words, I think.


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SteelMaiden
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27 Jan 2011, 9:27 am

markko wrote:
You're going to hate most doctors and nurses. They interchange brand names and generic names all the time, sometimes in the same sentence. I'm one of those nurses. All the places I've worked allow brand name and generic drugs to be interchanged. A doctor will give me a verbal order for "meperidine 50 mg IM q 3-4 hrs prn pain" and I'll write it as "Demerol." If I get an order for "Advil 200 mg PO q 6 hrs for fever >37.5°," I'll write it as ibuprofin."


Oh dear lol.


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SteelMaiden
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27 Jan 2011, 9:27 am

Kaybee wrote:
I agree. It would be clearer if everyone used the generic, but most people don't want or find it hard to remember such long words, I think.


Fair enough


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