The life of any medicine begins with a name, which may be several - a chemical, commercial, national non-proprietary, generic or international non-proprietary name of a medicine (abbreviated INN). The latter is considered especially important for all medical and pharmaceutical workers. This name is assigned to the active substance of the drug, has worldwide recognition and is considered public property.
Some historical facts about INN
The system of international nonproprietary names began with the resolution of the World Health Assembly in the fiftieth year. The first INN list was published three years later.
Since this period, the system has earned. Currently, this organization is constantly publishing a directory of international generic names of medicines and a journal containing a list of INN. The essence of the system is to help healthcare professionals, using the exclusive and simultaneously widely used name throughout the world, establish each pharmaceutical substance. An international assortment of such substances in the form of INN is necessary for:
- international information exchange between medical and pharmaceutical workers, as well as scientists;
- safe appointment and leave to patients;
- identification of drugs.
Tasks of the INN System
The international non-proprietary name of medicines is unique and should not be consonant with other names so that it cannot be confused with other commonly used names. In order for these names to be used in all countries of the world, they are non-patented, that is, they can be used without restrictions for the determination of pharmaceutical substances. One of the features of the INN system is that due to the use of common elements of words in the names of substances similar in pharmacological properties, their relationship can be traced.
As a result, any specialist in the field of pharmacy or medicine understands the belonging of substances to a certain group having similar activity.
Using INN
INNs belonging to the same pharmacological group have similar properties. International generic names of medicines use:
- when marking;
- in advertising publications;
- in the scientific literature;
- in normative documents;
- in medication information;
- in pharmacopeias.
Their use is provided for by international or national law. In order to avoid confusion and to eliminate the threat to the health of individuals, it is forbidden to borrow trade names from INN. There are countries where a special font size is defined that is allowed to print a non-proprietary name under advertising or branding.
Why are they assigned INN?
In accordance with a certain procedure, international nonproprietary names of medicines are assigned by a specially created commission by the World Health Organization (WHO). The generic name helps specialists understand the many medicines that appear on the pharmaceutical market after the expiration of a patent for an original drug. Many drugs with one INN have different trade names. For example, a medicine called Ciprofloxacin - this INN has about thirty-eight trade names, Diclofenac - fifty-two, and the well-known Paracetamol - thirty-three. Many drugs are produced on the basis of one substance, for example:
- 55 drugs are created from penicillin;
- from nitroglycerin - 25;
- from diclofenac - 205.
Each year, the total number of INN is increasing by more than one hundred items. Currently, there are more than eight and a half thousand.
How is a list of international generic names of medicines selected and published?
INN is assigned only to those substances that can be characterized by the chemical formula or nomenclature. In accordance with the policies followed by WHO, names are not selected for preparations from plant materials and homeopathic, as well as mixtures. In addition, names are not selected for substances used for a long period for medical purposes under specific names and for some common chemical names, for example, acetic acid. The selection process itself is quite lengthy, and lasts more than two years. After notifying the submitter, WHO prints all the names in a special journal. During the year, starting from 1997, the following lists of names are issued:
Moreover, they are compiled in Spanish, English, French, and also contain the Latin name of each INN. In addition, a complete list of international generic drug names is being printed. It is subject to regular updates. In it, the names are indicated in six different languages, including in Latin.
Application of INN
The increase in the number of generic names expands the scope of their application. Due to global recognition and the active use of the INN system in practical medicine, most pharmaceutical substances are designated using the international nonproprietary name. When filling out clinical documents or conducting various studies, INN is widely used and has become quite commonplace. In addition, the value of INN is increasing as a result of the active use of generic names for pharmaceutical products.
The use of INN in practical medicine
What is the international generic name for medicines? The Federal Law “On the Circulation of Medicines” interprets this concept as follows - this is the name of a pharmaceutical substance proposed by WHO. As mentioned above, the INN system was invented for the classification and accounting of the names of active substances and their free use in the medical and pharmaceutical community. Since 2012, in practical medicine, all prescriptions and prescriptions of medicines are carried out according to INN, and in their absence, according to group names. When choosing a drug, doctors need to distinguish between such concepts as:
- name of the active substance;
- The trade name of the drug is pharmacologically active, i.e. the active substance.
On the pharmaceutical market there are a huge number of trade names for drugs that are manufactured by different manufacturers, but have the same active substance. All official instructions for medical use of the medicine, as well as on the packaging, contain the international non-proprietary name of the drug. The knowledge and use of INN enables doctors to prescribe medicines efficiently and rationally, as well as to economically use limited financial resources.
Search for analogues and synonyms
Analogs are drugs that have a similar pharmacological effect and mechanism of action. Such drugs may belong to different pharmacological groups, have a different therapeutic effect, have different contraindications and side effects. For example, Remantadin, Kagocel, Ingavirin are similar means. Synonyms are drugs with different trade names, but having the same INN. Consider a few examples of synonymous drugs. The following are drugs with the international non-proprietary name Drotaverin and Paracetamol.
The first includes No-shpa, Spazmol, Spakovin, Spazmoverin, and the second - Kalpol, Ifimol, Prohodol. Many people confuse these two concepts and often in pharmacies look for cheap analogues. It is important to understand that analogues are not synonymous, and only a doctor can choose them correctly. And any patient is able to choose a synonym drug independently, depending on the preferences of a trade name and the country of manufacture of the drug.