|
Drugs can be classified in many ways: by the way they are
dispensed--over the counter or by prescription; by the substance
from which they are derived-plant, mineral, or animal; by
the form they take-capsule, liquid, or gas; and by the way
they are administered-by mouth, injection, inhalation, or
direct application to the skin (absorption). Drugs are also
classified by their names. All drugs have three names: a chemical
name, which describes the exact structure of the drug; a generic
or proprietary name, which is the official medical name assigned
by the United States Adopted Name Council (a group composed
of pharmacists and other scientists); and a brand or trade
name given by the particular manufacturer that sells the drug.
If a company holds the patent on a drug-that is, if the company
has the exclusive right to make and sell a drug, then the
drug is available under one brand name only. After the patent
expires, typically after 17 years in the United States, other
companies can also manufacture the drug and market it under
the generic name, or give it a new brand name.
Another way to categorize drugs is by the way they act against
diseases or disorders: chemotherapeutic drugs attack specific
organisms that cause a disease without harming the host, while
pharmocodynamic drugs alter the function of bodily systems
by stimulating or depressing normal cell activity in a given
system. The most common way to categorize a drug is by its
effect on a particular area of the body or a particular condition.
|
