Protection of INN ensuring patients’ safety and intellectual property

Overview

Although they represent opposite concepts, INN and trademarks share some common features, as both are aiming to define and distinguish one single product or substance from others. While INN allow for proper identification of a medicinal substance, brand or trade names are linked to specific products owned by a single commercial entity. INN are selected by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expert Advisory Panel on the International Pharmacopoeia and Pharmaceutical Preparations serving the INN Expert Group. The selection process follows a strict procedure and is carried out in close collaboration with national drug nomenclature bodies. To protect the rights of trademark owners and to ensure a name is safe for use as a medicine, a four-month review period follows the publication of new INN (which are referred to as Proposed INN). During this period, any interested person can submit an objection to a name. A name will not be published as an official INN (which are referred to as Recommended INN) whilst an objection is maintained (4).