Have you ever wondered how they name drugs? The actual name usually relates to the chemical compound involved, but the brand name – how do they come up with that?
Take some of my drugs, for example.
Cetirizine is the “science” name for Zyrtec. Why is cetirizine any harder to remember than Zyrtec? Okay, Zyrtec is easier to pronounce, and when I say it the millions the manufacturer paid in advertising pays off – I remember the ads. But Zyrtec isn’t exactly a warm and fuzzy name. It sounds very “science-like” which is probably a good thing when you’re naming a drug. But, where did the word come from?
How about another one? Fluticasone Propionate – that’s the “science” name for Flonaise. At least they start with the same letter.
Or how about Diphenoxylate Atropine? It’s otherwise known as Lomotil. I think Lomotil is definitely an improvement on the name, but still, not the word that instantly would pop into my mind if trying to name a product.
In my humble patient opinion, probably the most effective ad campaign from a drug company was for a drug called Nexium – again, who thought that up? But, in the ads, knowing that those of us that squeaked through high school chemistry can have a tough time with these names, the drug was referred to as “the purple pill.” Now, I can get my brain around that.
Take some of my drugs, for example.
Cetirizine is the “science” name for Zyrtec. Why is cetirizine any harder to remember than Zyrtec? Okay, Zyrtec is easier to pronounce, and when I say it the millions the manufacturer paid in advertising pays off – I remember the ads. But Zyrtec isn’t exactly a warm and fuzzy name. It sounds very “science-like” which is probably a good thing when you’re naming a drug. But, where did the word come from?
How about another one? Fluticasone Propionate – that’s the “science” name for Flonaise. At least they start with the same letter.
Or how about Diphenoxylate Atropine? It’s otherwise known as Lomotil. I think Lomotil is definitely an improvement on the name, but still, not the word that instantly would pop into my mind if trying to name a product.
In my humble patient opinion, probably the most effective ad campaign from a drug company was for a drug called Nexium – again, who thought that up? But, in the ads, knowing that those of us that squeaked through high school chemistry can have a tough time with these names, the drug was referred to as “the purple pill.” Now, I can get my brain around that.
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