What do we call the common name of a medication?

The term commonly used to refer to the official name of a medication that is not trademarked or patented is the generic name. Generic names are assigned by organizations such as the United States Adopted Names (USAN) and are usually derived from the chemical structure or the pharmacological properties of the drug. They provide a standardized way to identify medications across different brands and manufacturers, facilitating communication among healthcare professionals about the medication's uses, dosing, and side effects.

Trade name and brand name, while often used interchangeably, usually refer to the commercial name under which a medication is marketed, which can vary between manufacturers. The active ingredient refers to the substance in a medication that is responsible for its therapeutic effects, but it does not encapsulate the full nomenclature of the drug. Therefore, recognizing the generic name as the common name of a medication is essential for understanding and identifying medications in clinical practice.