Look Alike and Sound Alike Names of Branded Medicines in Indian Pharmaceutical Market

Abstract

Trade names of medicine in India are coined irrationally without any bearing and any relevance to the therapeutic class, molecule or disease for which it is to be used. This has developed into a therapeutic complexity, which is confusing to health care professionals. The study measured the extent of irrational naming practice of branded medicine in India and highlights the possibility of Look alike and Sound Alike (LASA) drugs leading to confusion by classifying the drug names on the basis of generic category. The study tries to quantify the extent of irrational naming practice of branded medicines by classifying branded medicine names into irrational and rational category. If the trade names of drugs had any bearing related to the therapeutic class, molecule or disease for which it is used, it is classified all together in rational category. Any trade name of drug which didn't meet these criteria is classified into irrational category. The result was measured and the percentages of irrelevant brand names were found to be 82%. LASA branded drugs were categorized on basis of generic name to highlight the extent of confusing medicine names in the Indian pharmaceutical market.