Pharmacology

• #Schweitzer
• Drugs have four names: a chemical name used in development, a nonproprietary or generic name that described the finished drug, a brand name used by a company for marketing, and a United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) name that is the "official" name
  • The USP-NF (or Physician's Desk Reference/PDR which is a lateral equivalent) name is often the same as the nonproprietary/generic name
• FDA testing goes through four evaluation phases before approving a drug
  • Phase 1 is it safe?
  • Phase 2 what is the therapeutic dose?
  • Phase 3 what are the side effects?
  • Phase 4 final pass, what did we miss?
    • In phase 4, the drug is released a trial drug and has not received full approval—it is being tested on a wide population and may be pulled if it has any unexpected results or effects