TO THE EDITOR: Could you please tak...

TO THE EDITOR: Could you please take back using the commonly used proprietary name in parentheses after the generic whenever possible? I do not always remember the generic name of a medication, many times because so many of the physics in a medication class have similar sounding names. This would save me time when reading American Family Physician (AFP), help me understand what I am reading without having to anticipate up the name in the Physicians' Desk concern and reduce confusion about which medication is being referr to in the article. I understand there may be an idealogic reason for not using the proprietary name, moreover it is often the name in the greatest degree commonly used when discussing the medication. Please give this each consideration. I know many of my colleagues perceive the same way.

JIM MCCAULEY, MD

3680 NW Samaritan Dr

Corvallis, OR 97330

EDITOR'S NOTE: At American Family Physician, our policy forward the use of drug names is to use the generic name quite through the discussion, but provide the trade/brand name in parentheses at the first mention. This policy is a compromise between the scientific (purist) approach of always using the generic name, and using the brand name from top to toe the entire article. The latter is problematic for several reasons: (1) this practice might present the appearance too promotional; (2) some generic unsalable articles have more than one brand name during the initial patent period (for example, Bactrim and Septra, Adalat and Procardia, and Calan and Isoptin); and (3) after the patent period, many generic put drugs intos are sold under multiple brand names.

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group