Sawbones: Medicine Brand Names
Summary
Hosts Justin and Sydney McElroy explore the complex history of drug nomenclature, detailing the evolution from conflicting early formularies to the standardized USAN system. They explain how generic names use specific stems to indicate drug classes, while brand names are crafted by marketing agencies to evoke potency or safety. The episode highlights the rigorous FDA scrutiny required to prevent dangerous look-alike errors and discusses the psychological impact of phonetic choices in pharmaceutical branding.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Sawbones and the topic of drug branding
History of drug naming: USP, NF, and the creation of USAN
Generic drug suffixes and how they indicate drug classes
Monoclonal antibody naming conventions and their evolution
Sponsors: Smalls cat food and FIGS medical apparel
The branding process: trademark checks and disaster checks
Evocative brand names like Viagra, Lipitor, and Prozac
Drug name confusion risks and the FDA's POCA software
Linguistic trends in drug names: letters Q, Z, and sound symbolism
Debate on direct-to-consumer marketing and closing remarks
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