“That which we call a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” That is one of the better known quotes from Romeo and Juliet, perhaps even all of Shakespeare’s works, in which Juliet tells Romeo that a name is significant of nothing; that a person’s family name does not dictate their true character…
So on and so forth.
I mention it because of the strange and awkward names given to medications. I can’t watch an hour of programming without some advert comes on extolling the virtues of some medicine or another with a nonsensical name.
Kisqali. Keytruda. Rexulti. Nuplazid. Tremfya. Mavyret. Shingrix. Caplyta. Descovy. Skyrizi. One sounds like an alien race on Star Trek, the other like a new military weapon, and that last one should be sponsored by Snoop Dogg (or whatever he’s calling himself these days). Basically, they sound like anything other than life saving medicines.
But why? Why do they have to have such bizarre non-sense cal names? Why can’t they simply be called what they are? Or a simplified version of it, if the full name is too complex. I’m asking, what’s with all the weird, hard to pronounce names? Is it marketing? Do the pharmas think scientific names would scare people? What is it? What is the reason?
Tell me! Pleeeaaasee?!
Okay, yes, I could google it, but I want to hear it from you. What do you think? How do you feel about the strange medicine names?
Let’s discuss, gentle readers.