What's with all the weird new drug names?

[bif]

I don't often watch tv with commercials. But when I do, I've noticed a ton of ads with oddball names. Not only are they unmemorable, they don't relate to what they do. Gone are names that include derma-, oral-, aqua- etc. One of the only ones I can actually remember is Skyrizi. Or something like that.

[eallen]

1. Drugs have two kinds of names

First, there is a single standards name, which is risankizumab for Skyrizi. That name stays the same regardless of what companies make or market the drug.

"Skyrizi" is a brand name, chosen by some marketing folks at AbbVie. They could decide to market it under another brand name. Once it is off-patent and other companies market it also, they will choose their own brand names.

[louis-t]

2. Most have 3 syllables. Not sure if that's deliberate.

Accent always on the second syllable. Lots of x, y and z.

[Silent Type]

3. Xiaflex for Bent Carrot disease (Peyronie's disease).

[mucifer]

4. This is what happened

[lastlib]

5. Well, I am not putting anything in my body....

...that has a name with no English-language equivalent. Especially with all those damn side-effects. If I wanted to commit suicide or get sicker than hell, there are better ways to do it.

[hlthe2b]

6. If we didn't have drug advertising in this country it would be a non-issue. Generic (and drug "class" names)

may be complex, but are less readily confused with the silly commercial (brand) names chosen that often sound like others.

It is abysmal and a lot of preventable drug mistakes occur as a result.

[Skittles]

7. they make them themes to sing in their non-stop ads

Last edited Tue Nov 19, 2024, 07:45 PM - Edit history (1)

does this happen only in America?

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Whoo Boy

That Wegovi commercial! Incredibly annoying as "average Joe" after "average Jane" join a parade so the can extoll the virtues and then form a human font to spell the name.
Nauseating.
I watch a lot of Food Network and these drug ads there are a constant annoyance.

[Skittles]

10. inject yourself to lose weight! But....KEEP DOING IT!!!

omfg, big pharm must be over the moon