This is an excerpt from Dennis Miller’s explosive new book The Shocking Truth About Pharmacy: A Pharmacist Reveals All The Disturbing Secrets. The entire book is available for download from Amazon for 99 cents.
The Evolution of Drug Brand Names from Descriptive to Absurd:
A few decades ago, the drug companies seemed to feel compelled or motivated to try to find brand names that helped consumers identify the medical condition being treated. Pharma seemed to place some value in creating drug names that suggest or imply the drug’s intended purpose.
For example, Premarin, for post menopausal symptoms, contains estrogen that is derived from “pregnant mares’ urine.” Viagra, for impotence, implies the immense power of Niagara Falls. Lopressor lowers blood pressure. Lipitor lowers lipids. Zantac includes the letter “Z” (which is currently in vogue) followed by “antac” which are the first five letters in “antacid.” Xanax, for anxiety, sounds a lot like “anxiety” and conjures up images of Xanadu, which Webster’s Dictionary defines as “an idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place.” Halcion, for insomnia, suggests “halcyon” which Webster’s defines as “calm, peaceful.” Librium, for anxiety, restores “equilibrium.” The blood pressure pill Procardia is “pro” (for) + “cardia” (heart).
Today, Drug Names Seem to be Completely Removed from the Natural World:
In contrast, drug names today seem to have come from another planet. That is not surprising because Big Pharma’s mechanistic view of Homo sapiens completely removes humans from any connection to the natural world. In addition, drug names today seem to be completely divorced from the English language, completely devoid of human traits, and as impersonal and sterile as the modern glass and steel skyscrapers which have dominated and dehumanized our cities.
Drugs with Ridiculous Brand Names Approved by the FDA in 2020:
Here are some of the peculiar and weird brand names for drugs approved by the FDA in 2020. In my opinion, these new drug names illustrate Pharma’s disassociation from the natural world and an excursion into an alternative reality completely devoid of human traits.
Which planet do these drug names come from?
Veklury
Inmazeb
Gavreto
Sogroya
Winlevi
Enspryng
Viltepso
Olinvyk
Eurysdi
Lampit
Blenrep
Monjuvi
Xeglyze
Inqovi
Rukobia
Byfave
Dojolvi
Zepzelca
Uplizna
Tauvid
Artesunate
Cerianna
Qinlock
Retevmo
Tabrecta
Ongentys
Trodelvy
Pemazyre
Tukysa
Keselugo
Zepepesia
Isturisa
Sarclisa
Barhemsys
Vyepti
Nexletol
Pizensy
Trverik
Tepezza
Ayvakit
Are Brand Names Randomly Generated by a Computer?
These bizarre brand drug names seem to be randomly generated by a computer to avoid duplication with other equally bizarre brand drug names. It is as if a computer were generating drug brand names just like a computer generates available (inactive or unused) phone numbers, social security numbers, credit card numbers, account numbers for electric and water bills, etc. to avoid duplication with numbers currently in use.
Pharmaceuticals seem to have completely transcended the real world and now exist as a creation of the marketing department at the drug companies.
Marcia Angell, M.D., was formerly the editor-in-chief at The New England Journal of Medicine.
In her highly acclaimed book The Truth About the Drug Companies (New York: Random House, 2004), she writes:
“[The pharmaceutical industry] over the past two decades has moved very far from its original high purpose of discovering and producing useful new drugs. Now primarily a marketing machine to sell drugs of dubious benefit, this industry uses its wealth and power to co-opt every institution that might stand in its way, including the U.S. Congress, the FDA, academic medical centers, and the medical profession itself.”
In my opinion, marketing has replaced science as the primary driver of pharmaceuticals today. The pharmaceutical industry has succeeded spectacularly in creating its own reality to encourage the acceptance of pills for everything. This is a massive reality distortion field which has bamboozled the public and, in too many cases, health professionals as well.
Cartoon Characters Selling Prescription Drugs:
For example, Big Pharma uses cartoon characters like a turkey to sell Chantix (for smoking cessation), an owl to sell Xyzal (for allergies), a gremlin to sell Lamisil (for toenail fungus), and a mucous-like creation to sell Mucinex (for nasal mucous).
Pharma also utilizes famous actors/actresses and athletes to sell drugs, even though it should be obvious that actors, actresses and athletes have zero training in pharmacology and therefore have zero credibility on the subject of pharmaceuticals.
In my opinion, the pharmaceutical industry has succeeded beyond its wildest dreams in creating a narrative and an alternative reality to exploit gullible and naive consumers.
