Proprietary name confusion

During the year there were a number of reports in the press of deaths associated with phen-acetin. The Committee emphasised that the hazard was associated with the abuse of the drug (excessive doses taken over a long term) and reiterated that, consequently, no special action was necessary. Furthermore, because a drug (including phenacetin) could be marketed under different proprietary names, it could confuse a doctor. Therefore, the Committee decided that they would not consider an application by a manufacturer to market a new substance unless the applicant gave an assurance that an approved name had been obtained or applied for. 

The proprietary name is a trade mark applied to particular formulation(s) of a particular substance by a particular manufacturer. Manufacture is confined to the owner of the trade mark or to others licensed by the owner. It is designed to maximise the difference between the names of similar drugs marketed by rivals for obvious commercial reasons. To add confusion, some companies give their proprietary products the same names as their generic products in an attempt to capture the prescription market, both proprietary and generic, and some market lower-priced generics of their own proprietaries. When a prescription is written for a proprietary product, pharmacists under UK law must dispense that product only. But by agreement... 

Herbicides are usually sold imder a wide range of proprietary names which can be very confusing, but the cortrmon rrame of the active material must always be stated on the container. In the text of this book the cormnon name of the chemical is used when referring to herbicides. The selectivity of herbicides depends on a... 

Mixed insulin zinc suspension is, confusingly, the approved name for proprietary mixtures of crystalline and amorphous zinc suspension. Mixed insulins are not, therefore, the same as biphasic insulins. While the different proprietary formulations in this group do have differing time courses of action (see Fig. 35.1) depending on their (unstated) proportions of amorphous and crystalline suspension, it is not expected that doctors or patients would vary the formulation prescribed. 

Drugs that have similar names are not infrequently confused. The name of Sanofi-Synthelabo s brand of sodium polystyrene sulfonate, Kayexalate, could be confused with the names of proprietary brands of potassium chloride, such as Kay-Cee-L and Kay-Ciel. Furthermore, some formulations of potassium chloride are formulated in packaging that resembles that of Kayexalate. There have been two deaths when potassium chloride was given instead of sodium polystyrene sulfonate for hyperkalemia (31). 

Identifying Information The label of a hazardous substance must state conspicuously the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or seller. In addition, it must disclose the identity of the heizardous substance or, where the substance is a mixture, the identity of each component which contributes substantially to the hazard. The statute embodies a clear preference for providing the common or usual name of the heizardous substance the substance s chemical name need only be provided if no common usual name exists. By regulation, the Commission may permit or require the use of a recognized generic name. Such a generic name would appear appropriate where a more detailed description would either confuse product users or disclose information about the product s formulation that the manufacturer considers proprietary. 

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