How has the naming system of generic drugs changed over the last few years?

Can you give an example of a drug affected by the change?





Any help is much appreciated


Thanks

How has the naming system of generic drugs changed over the last few years?
I do not know what actually is going on with USAN, but by the looks of things new drug/chemical classes have generic names that are difficult to pronounce. They usually don't back track and change an old generic name with a new one.





Now is the purpose to discourage generic prescribing? Maybe not but the upshot is that if a doctor can't pronounce the generic name they are left with using the brand name.





Interesting that even though audio files are well established on the internet that the FDA does not have audio files for drug names. Label information at the drugs@fda website is restricted to brand name drugs.





If you could see an old USP or NF book (might find one at an old pharmacy if they had not thrown in out, or an old pharmacist might have one at home they could bring to work) then you would see how easy the old (1980's and before) generic names could be pronounced.








http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-am...
Reply:If I understand your question correctly, you mean the name of the actual chemical in the medicine, as opposed to the brand name. For example, the 'generic name' of Oxycontin would be oxycodone, which is the name of the actual chemical which is the active ingredient. The only changes that I can think of which have occured in these names falls under what I would title 'the diversification of chemical nomenclature.' What I mean by this is that as more and more chemicals are invented more and more names have to be created for them. Therefore, naturally, the names for these chemicals would have to become more and more creative and diverse. If I had to give an example...the name for Ambien is zolpidem. Zolpidem seems to me like a very creative name for a chemical, but I could be wrong. See 'chemical nomenclature.'
Reply:in the uk the names of some were changed to the european name a few yrs ago in line with EU policy. eg bendrofluazide became bendroflumethazide.