Today I decided to tell you something about the drug names and the differences between them. First of all let’s consider the classification (or medication nomenclature from the scientific point of view).

Every drug has three names at the same time:

1. Full chemical name;
2. International unpatented name (IUN);
3. Trade name (this is usually concerned with brands and generics).

Every drug (in case it is not a mix) has its own full chemical name that is quite hard even to read and not only to pronounce or remember. For instance the full chemical name of Viagra includes about 100 characters. It is impressive isn’t it? Thus the full chemical name of the drugs is only used in the information sheets (annotations), reference books and research works.

As the chemical name is not very suitable to use every drug has it individual officially approved international unpatented name (IUN). For instance this name of Viagra is Sildenafil citrate. Exactly such type of names is commonly used in medical literature, by doctors and students.

In case you have ever purchased any drug then you should surely note that most of them have 2 names printed on the package. The first one is typed with big letters (this is the trade name) and the second one – with small letters (this is IUN).

The one printed with big letters is the trade name (it is also called as patented and commercial one). Every company-manufacturer has its own trade name. This is arranged so with the aim to advertise the medication manufactured by this very producer. Commercial name will remain in the purchaser’s memory for a longer period of time.

All trade names are divided into original medications (brands) and generics.

Original medication (brand medication, brand) – this is the trade name of the drug of the company-manufacturer that was the first who started to manufacture this medication. For instance, Sildenafil citrate (IUN) was initially manufactured by the American company – Pfizer that gave this medication such name as Viagra (this is original or patented name). The whole cycle of one medication development takes from 5 to 15 years and hundreds millions of USD. Thus the company-manufacturer produces the most qualitative medication and patents it. The patent is valid for 5 years when other pharmaceutical companies are not able to produce medications with the same IUN. By the way, about 90% of the new medications are developed for the money provided by the pharmaceutical companies. Then the aggressive advertising campaign is being held with the aim to get back the money spent for the new brand medication introduction. This is the medication advertisement in medical issues, at the exhibitions, lectures for the students and doctors accompanied with the booklet, free packets, and pens with company logo or drug name provisioning. Notebooks, note-papers, small calendars and recommendations that are to be given to patients are also distributed at this advertisement campaign stage.

The patent for the exclusive drug manufacturing is valid for 5 years. After this period if time other pharmaceutical companies get the right to manufacture the same IUN with their own trade name. Such medications are called generics. These companies’ expenditures are quite less as they don’t have to spend great sums for the development of this or that medication. Therefore generics are considerably cheaper. The use of the generic drug increases throughout the last several decades and the purchase of the original medications decreases if consider these numbers in percentage. By the way the World Health Protection Organization advises to use exactly qualitative generics as they are cheaper.

The Viagra generics are Silagra, Edegra, Caverts and etc. Every original medication may have up to 200-300 generics. It is quite difficult to remember all of them and the IUN will be quite useful in such case.

As for the quality of the definite generic, it depends up to manufacturer. In case it the world known manufacturer that is quite concerned about its reputation then the quality won’t be worse in comparison with the original medication. And vice versa generics made in developing countries are cheaper than the one made in developed countries but their quality is often worse (or they are less active or cause more side effects). The reasons are quite simple – the low level of the final compound clearance and insufficient control over the manufacturing.

The resume is that generics cannot be better that the original (brand) drugs, however they are not worse than originals. Thus I’d like to give you advise to use exactly original drugs (however be careful, these medication are expensive and thus are fabricated more often) and generics. However it would be better to use generics manufactured by the world known companies. And in case it is impossible to obtain the proper generic of world known manufacturer you may use the one produced in the developing countries as well.

Today there are about 300-350 thousands of drugs in the world, however it doesn’t mean that you can purchase them in the drugstore. Each country provides only those drugs that are registered in this definite country.

Practically it means that in case the doctor prescribed you certain special or rare medication then you will have to visit the country where it is registered and available. The procedure of the drug certification is quite expensive (the researches of the drug safety are carries out) and requires many documents validations. Thus it is not a surprise that this or that country may don’t have a certain medication on sale.