What is the name of a drug before marketing, e.g., ibuprofen rather than Advil?

• A. Brand name
• B. Generic name
• C. Trade/Brand name
• D. Elixir

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how drugs are named: there is a nonproprietary, universal name and there are marketing names given by companies. The name used before a drug is marketed, and that identifies the active substance itself, is the generic (nonproprietary) name. For ibuprofen, this is the generic name because it sticks to the active drug itself and is recognized internationally regardless of who makes it. Brand or trade names are the marketing labels a company uses to sell the same substance (like Advil), which can vary by product and country. Elixir is simply a dosage form, not a naming category. So the best answer is the generic name.