What Are The Generic Drug Names

Government officials, researchers, doctors, and others who write about the new compounds use the drug's generic name because it refers to the drug itself, not to a particular company's brand of the drug or a specific product. However, doctors often use the trade name on prescriptions, because it is easier to remember and doctors usually learn about new drugs by the trade name.

Generic drug names are usually harder to remember as compared to trade names. Generic names are generally shorthand versions of the actual chemical formula of drug. It may even be just a part of the chemical name. Trade names, on the other hand, are catchy and easy to understand. They may refer to the chemical composition or the desired outcome. Trade names often suggest a characteristic of the drug. For example, the drug Lopressor lowers the blood pressure, Vivactil might make a person more vivacious or lively, Glucotrol controls high blood sugar (glucose) levels, and Skelaxin relaxes skeletal muscles. Sometimes, the trade name is simply a shortened version of the drug's generic name—for example, Minocin for minocycline.