Cycling UK Forum

Discussion of prescription drugs occurs on this forum fairly regularly, what with one thing and another...
I'm having trouble pronouncing mine! They all seem to have sort-of quasi-Latin names, presumably emminating from a special division at the drug companies, paid colossal sums to come up with something each time they invent a new one.
This morning I was wondering where we learn of the definitive pronunciation - is there a record of such in say Mims? Or is the way you say 'em just a free-for-all?

eg am-low-die-pine - or am-lod-a-peen

There isn't a definitive source for pronunciation although there is for nomenclature. Manufacturers sometimes comment on pronunciation of proprietary products. But there's typically a received pronunciation among professionals in any given language. So it's noticeable when there are drugs with more than one common pronunciation.

Any examples we could explore? (Crossed post.)

Jonathan

simonineaston wrote: ↑16 Jun 2022, 10:56am eg am-low-die-pine - or am-lod-a-peen

am as in ham, lod as in odd, i as in pig, pine as in peen, except that as usual the i in the third syllable is often dropped towards a schwa, as you did with that a.

There's a pair of connected reasons for the pine as in peen rather than as in pine. It's inherited from amine. It is chemically an amine and the chemical education of pharmacologists and medical practitioners would make that the default pronunciation anyway.

Jonathan

I've lost count of the number of times I've heard various staff mispronounce diltiazem over the last nine years, but flecainide not so much.

simonineaston wrote: ↑16 Jun 2022, 10:56ameg am-low-die-pine - or am-lod-a-peen

am-LOE-di-peen

axel_knutt wrote: ↑16 Jun 2022, 11:35amam-LOE-di-peen

That di is ambiguous... as in dip or as in die?

And we disagree about the common pronunciation of the second syllable.

Jonathan

If I ask a patient if they are on clopidogrel they say no. However they reassure me that they are taking Cloppy Dogrill ! I’ve reverted to calling it that in front of patients - saves a load of time & hassle.

We’ve had people on “gender mycin” instead of gentamicin.

Even better is when quizzing about medications, they say “the little pink ones!” That narrows it down a bit!

I routinely order repeat prescriptions of half a dozen drugs by phone. One is aspirin but I just guess the pronunciation of the others and presumably I am close enough. The record of my prescription should help understanding, and there have been no mistakes.

order repeat prescriptions

I have become accustomed to using the NHS phone app for that task - and rather good it is too!

The only drug name pronunciation I have been corrected on is Ibuprofen. I was stressing the pro.

Mike Sales wrote: ↑16 Jun 2022, 12:49pm The only drug name pronunciation I have been corrected on is Ibuprofen. I was stressing the pro.

I stress the first and third syllables...

Jonathan