International nonproprietary name

International Nonproprietary Name (INN)

International Nonproprietary Name (pronunciation: /ɪntəˈnaʃənəl nɒnprəˈpraɪətəri əˈneɪm/) is a unique name that is globally recognized and is public property. It is used to identify the active ingredient in any pharmaceutical drug or vaccine. The INN system is managed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Etymology

The term "International Nonproprietary Name" is derived from the fact that these names are not subject to proprietary rights. The term was first used by the WHO in 1950 when the organization initiated a program to assign standardized names to pharmaceutical substances.

Related Terms

Pharmaceutical drug: A drug used in health care.
Vaccine: A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.
World Health Organization: A specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

History

The INN system was established by the WHO in 1950. The aim was to provide health professionals with a unique and universally available designated name to identify each pharmaceutical substance. The first list of INNs was published in 1953.

Purpose

The main purpose of the INN is to provide a unique and universally recognized name for each pharmaceutical substance. This is to ensure that a substance is recognized globally by the same name, regardless of the brand names under which it may be sold.

Naming Process

The naming process is carried out by the WHO's Expert Advisory Panel on the International Pharmacopoeia and Pharmaceutical Preparations. The process involves rigorous scientific and linguistic review to ensure that the names are suitable for global use.

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski

International nonproprietary name