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International nonproprietary name (INN):
to identify a drug with certainty

The International Nonproprietary Name (INN) is a drug's real name, making it possible to identify a drug, irrespective of its commercial name.

Knowing a drug's INN is crucial. Some pathologies require the immediate prescription of treatment. When the drug prescribed under a brand name is not available, knowing its INN makes it possible to select an alternative with a different brand name but containing the same active substance.

The INN indicates the name of the drug's active substance: it is the drug's true name. There can be a large number of drugs on the market bearing different brand names but containing the same active substance. Brand names do not always indicate a drug's content. Only the INN makes it possible to identify the active substance with certainty. Over recent months, the Medicines in Europe Forum has been campaigning to raise public awareness of the INN.

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

©Prescrire June 2006

Source: "DCI, le vrai nom du médicament. Fiche n°10 : "Commencer son traitement sans retard"" Rev Prescrire 2006 ; 26 (273) : 469.

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