Viagra knockoff names in different countries
Interesting New York Times piece on the process of naming prescription drugs. Among other things, it explains why so many drug brandnames contain the letters Z and/or X (the dark art of "phonologics") and why US companies can't call a new drug UltrastudXL (the FDA won't let them). The dazeworthy part of the article:
Dr. Yusuf K. Hamied, chairman of Cipla, an Indian drug company that copies many drugs patented in the West and makes AIDS drugs for Africa, operates in a less restricted environment. He can let his imagination roam.
He makes knockoffs of Viagra, Levitra and the newest member of the class, Cialis. He originally planned to market Cialis in India as Lexis or Elexis, playing on Lexus. But since it's known in Europe as "the weekender" because its effects last 36 hours, he's now thinking of "Y-End?"
"It's a gimmick," he said. "It may catch on."
In India, his version of Viagra is called Silagra, from its generic name, sildenafil citrate. Indians were already so familiar with Viagra that it made sense to echo Pfizer's name, he said.
But in Latin America, he sells it as Eviva. It sounds like "revive," but also has an echo of the female Eve. He said he almost named it Tarzia "because it makes you feel like Tarzan."
In the Middle East, he forgoes all subtlety. There, it's Erecto.
(Link snagged from Amygdala.)
