Brand name

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

The term "brand name" refers to the trade name given by a manufacturer to a product, often under which it is marketed and sold to the public. In the pharmaceutical industry, brand name drugs are marketed under a proprietary, trademark-protected name given by the drug's manufacturer. These drugs are typically protected by patents that prohibit any generic versions from being sold until the patent expires. Once the patent expires, generic versions of the drug may be offered for sale, which usually are sold under the generic name of the active ingredient rather than the brand name.

Bayer Aspirin Pills

Understanding Brand Names and Generics[edit | edit source]

  • Brand Name: The name given by the pharmaceutical company that developed the drug.
  • Generic Name: The name of the active ingredient in the drug, usually derived from the chemical name.

Brand name drugs are often more well-known to the public than their generic counterparts. However, generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as the brand name drug and are considered bioequivalent in terms of dosage, strength, route of administration, quality, performance, and intended use.

Notable Brand Name Drugs and Their Generic Equivalents[edit | edit source]

Tylenol bottle closeup (loose_crop)

Also see[edit | edit source]

Brand name Resources
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