World Health
Organization’s (WHO’s) International Nonproprietary Names (INN) Programme
|
World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) International
Nonproprietary Names (INN) Programme was
established with a vision to have the INN used by all stakeholders across the
world as a common nomenclature for all pharmaceutical substances.
An
International Nonproprietary Name (INN) identifies a pharmaceutical substance
or active pharmaceutical ingredient by a unique name that is globally
recognized and is public property. A nonproprietary name is also known as a
generic name.
The
existence of an international nomenclature for pharmaceutical substances, in
the form of INNs, is important for the clear identification, sale prescription
and dispensing of medicines to patients, and for communication and exchange of
information among health professionals and scientists worldwide.
To
make INNs universally available, they are formally placed by WHO in the public
domain.
Nonproprietary
names are intended for use in pharmacopoeias, labeling, product information,
advertising and other promotional material, drug regulation and scientific
literature, and as a basis for product names,e.g. for generics. Their use is
normally required by national or, as in the case of the European Community, by
international legislation. As a result of ongoing collaboration, national names
such as
British
Approved Names (BAN), Dénominations Communes Françaises (DCF), Japanese Adopted
Names
(JAN) and United States Accepted Names (USAN) are nowadays, with rare
exceptions, identical to the INNs.
The
selection of a new INN relies on a strict procedure. Upon receipt of an INN
request form, the WHO Secretariat examines the suggested names for conformity
with the general rules, for similarities with published INNs and potential
conflicts with existing names, including published INNs and trademarks. A note
summarizing the result of these checks is added and the request is subsequently
forwarded to the INN experts for comments. Once all experts agree upon one
name, the applicant is informed of the selected name.
Newly
selected, proposed INNs are then published in WHO Drug Information,
which indicates a deadline
for
a 4-month objection period. This period is allowed for comments and/or
objections to the published
names
to be raised. The reasons for any objection must be stated clearly and these
will be evaluated by the
experts
for further action. Users are invited to refrain from using the proposed name
until it becomes a recommended INN, in order to avoid confusion should the name
be modified.
The
final stage of the selection process is the recommended INN. Once a name has
been published as a
recommended
INN it will not normally be modified further and is ready for use in labeling,
publications,
on
drug information. It will serve to identify the active pharmaceutical substance
during its lifetime
worldwide.
Since the name is available in the public domain it may be used freely.
However, it should not be registered as a trademark since this would prevent
its use by other parties.
The INN Experts meet twice a year, usually in April and
October.
The name cannot be used as an INN until the INN Secretariat
completes the publication process. Normally, names are published as a pINN
about 6-12 months after the meeting. There is then a 4-month public comment
period. If no objections are received, the name is published as a rINN.
All
names selected as proposed and recommended INNs are published in a Cumulative
list, which is updated periodically. The generic names are presented in
alphabetical order by Latin name. Each entry includes:
v equivalent
nonproprietary names: : in Latin, English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and
Russian, as well as reference to other common names;
v a
reference to the INN list in which the name was originally proposed or
recommended, or last amended;
v reference
to names of substances that have been abandoned or never been marketed;
v reference
to national nonproprietary names;
v reference
to pharmacopeial monographs or similar official references;
v reference
to names issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO);
v reference
to the Convention of Psychotropic Substances, if applicable;
v reference
to the List of Narcotic Drugs under International Control, if applicable;
v the
molecular formula;
its Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number.