OPDP to Study How Drug Names Affect Consumer Perceptions

The Office of Prescription Drug Promotion plans to study how the name of a prescription drug affects consumer perception.

ODPD will be looking into how names that suggest the drug’s indication affect the perceptions of consumers and healthcare providers and if a name that overstates the efficacy of a drug affects perceptions. 

The office plans to show approximately 500 consumers and 500 healthcare providers an “extreme” name and a “neutral name” for two different indications, as well as five names per indication. They will then be asked about the names before and after being told of the actual indications.

The office aims to ensure that names do not overstate the efficacy or safety of a drug, expand its indications, falsely suggest superiority, or misleadingly imply unique effectiveness or composition.