Should INN stems be used in brand names?

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Should INN stems be used in brand names?

The 46th WHO Assembly in 1993 requested member States to "develop policy guidelines on the use and protection of international nonproprietary names (INN), and to discourage names derived from INNs, and particularly names including established INN stems as trade marks" (resolution WHA 46.19) as such use can frustrate the rational selection of further INNs for related substances, and it will ultimately compromise the safety of patients by promoting confusion in drug nomenclature. Thus the DRAs have the authority to disallow a trade name on grounds if it is misleading (WHO. Marketing authorization of pharmaceutical products with special reference to multisource (generic) products: A manual for drug regulatory authority. Regulatory support series, No.5. WHO Geneva; 1999).

The question is why DRAs not using this authority? Either they are so dumb that they do not understand the importance and implications of this. In that case they have no business to be in the posts, for which they are paid from public taxes. Or their myopic eyes are intentionally under ptosis to let the industry fool around with the public. Either way, the state of affairs are indicative of affairs of The State.

The INNs are a public property (Essential Drug Monitor, WHO; 30:2001:P24) but that does not mean that pharma companies can use the stems for coining their brand names. The stems are meant to guide selection of new generic names for substances that belong to an established series of related compounds. The list of common stems for INN for pharmaceutical substances, for which chemical or pharmaceutical categories have been established, is available. The list aims to encourage consistency in designation of generic names (The use of common stems in the selection of international nonproprietary names (INN) for pharmaceutical substances, WHO, WHO/EDM/QSM/99.6,2000,137 p) and certainly is not meant for the industry to misuse the popularized and well known stems.

To better explain the misuse of stem, here is an example where ORS has been wrongly used in brand naming entirely a different product. There is massive promotion of ORS-LTM an electrolyte energy drink with vitamin C in ready to serve tetra packs, which the manufacturer (http://www.jagdale.com/juggat.html) recommends for many conditions other than diarrhea (Advertisement in CIMS. M/s Juggat Pharma Bangalore. 2007 ; Jan-Apr: 523). Such misuse is criminal. During a recent home survey I encountered a literate respondent (multimillionaire) administering this product to his child suffering from diarrhea. On questioning, he explained it was ORS drink which was more palatable and convenient to handle in tetra pack !

I hope NetRUMians get the hang of misuse of INN now. Wake up call for DRAs. Please come out of stupor. We have suffred enough of insensitivity, lethargy and inaction.

Dr Vijay Thawani