Sign inWhy have the names of some medicines changed?
For many years the UK had its own naming system. Each medicine had a British Approved Name (BAN). However, European law says that medicines should be called the same in all EEC countries. So, the name of each medicine is now the recommended International Non-Proprietary Name (rINN). As medicines are now named the same all over Europe, it should reduce the risk of medication errors.
Note: the substance in your medication did not change - it is only the name on the medicine packet that may have changed.
How will it affect my medication?
- The names of most medicines did not change. This is because the old BAN was already the same as the new rINN.
- For some medicines, the name change was very minor. This is because the old BAN was very similar to the new rINN. For example, amoxycillin (a commonly used antibiotic) changed to amoxicillin.
- For some medicines, the new name is quite different to the old name. and these are listed below:
Former BAN |
New rINN |
| amethocaine aminacrine amoxycillin amphetamine amylobarbitone sodium beclomethasone bendrofluazide benzhexol benzphetamine benztropine busulphan butobarbitone carticaine cephalexin cephradine chloral betaine chlorbutol chlormethiazole chlorpheniramine chlorthalidone cholecalciferol cholestyramine clomiphene colistin sulphomethate sodium corticotrophin cyclosporin cysteamine danthron dexamphetamine dibromopropamidine dicyclomine dienoestrol dimethicone(s) dimethyl sulphoxide dothiepin doxycycline hydrochloride (hemihydrate hemiethanolate) eformoterol ethamsylate ethinyloestradiol ethynodiol flumethasone flupenthixol flurandrenolone frusemide guaiphenesin hexachlorophane hexamine hippurate hydroxyurea indomethacin lignocaine methotrimeprazine methyl cysteine methylene blue methicillin mitozantrone nicoumalone oestradiol oestriol oestrone oxpentifylline phenobarbitone pipothiazine polyhexanide pramoxine procaine penicillin prothionamide quinalbarbitone riboflavine salcatonin sodium calciumedetate sodium cromoglycate sodium ironedetate sodium picosulphate sorbitan monostearate stibocaptate stilboestrol sulphacetamide sulphadiazine sulphamethoxazole sulphapyridine sulphasalazine sulphathiazole sulphinpyrazone tetracosactrin thiabendazole thioguanine thiopentone thymoxamine thyroxine sodium tribavirin trimeprazine urofollitrophin | tetracaine aminoacridine amoxicillin amfetamine amobarbital sodium beclometasone bendroflumethiazide trihexyphenidyl benzfetamine benzatropine busulfan butobarbital articaine cefalexin cefradine cloral betaine chlorobutanol clomethiazole chlorphenamine chlortalidone colecalciferol colestyramine clomifene colistimethate sodium corticotropin ciclosporin mercaptamine dantron dexamfetamine dibrompropamidine dicycloverine dienestrol dimeticone dimethyl sulfoxide dosulepin doxycycline hyclate formoterol etamsylate ethinylestradiol etynodiol flumetasone flupentixol fludroxycortide furosemide guaifenesin hexachlorophene methenamine hippurate hydroxycarbamide indometacin lidocaine levomepromazine mecysteine methylthioninium chloride meticillin mitoxantrone acenocoumarol estradiol estriol estrone pentoxifylline phenobarbital pipotiazine polihexanide pramocaine procaine benzylpenicillin protionamide secobarbital riboflavin calcitonin (salmon) sodium calcium edetate sodium cromoglicate sodium feredetate sodium picosulfate sorbitan stearate sodium stibocaptate diethylstilbestrol sulfacetamide sulfadiazine sulfamethoxazole sulfapyridine sulfasalazine sulfathiazole sulfinpyrazone tetracosactide tiabendazole tioguanine thiopental moxisylyte levothyroxine sodium ribavirin alimemazine urofollitropin |