english.prescrire.org > Spotlight > Archives : 2006 > A drug's brand name gives little indication of the substance(s) it contains

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A drug's brand name gives little indication
of the substance(s) it contains

By looking for the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) on the packaging or in the patient leaflet, it is possible to identify whether a drug contains several substances or not, irrespective of the commercial name.

It is important to be aware of the International Nonproprietary Name (INN), or names, especially if a medication contains several substances.

A medicinal product can comprise several substances, which is not clear from its brand name. Using the INN makes it possible to identify with certainty the substance -- or substances -- contained in the drug. The more substances a drug contains, the more the patient is exposed to the risk of adverse effects or interactions.

The Medicines in Europe Forum has been campaigning to raise public awareness of the INN, a drug's real name.

A complete dossier on the INN is available free at www.prescrire.org. It includes a series of leaflets illustrating various situations where the use of the INN is useful and even essential.

©Prescrire July 2006

Source: "DCI, le vrai nom du médicament. Fiche n°11 : "Sous un nom commercial peu évocateur, se cache parfois une association de plusieurs substances"" Rev Prescrire 2006 ; 26 (274) : 550.

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