International Nonproprietary Names Programme and Classification of Medical Products
International Nonproprietary Names (INN)
International Nonproprietary Names (INN) facilitate the identification of pharmaceutical substances or active pharmaceutical ingredients. Each INN is a unique name that is globally recognized and is public property. A nonproprietary name is also known as a generic name.
Mandate
WHO has a constitutional mandate to "develop, establish and promote international standards with respect to biological, pharmaceutical and similar products".
The World Health Organization collaborates closely with INN experts and national nomenclature committees to select a single name of worldwide acceptability for each active substance that is to be marketed as a pharmaceutical. To avoid confusion, which could jeopardize the safety of patients, trade-marks should neither be derived from INNs nor contain common stems used in INNs. The selection and publication of INNs falls under the responsibility of the EMP/RHT/TSN team of the INN Programme.
Dr R. Balocco Mattavelli World Health Organization |
Online access to INN data
WHO Drug Information
Publications
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The step before the adoption of an INN stem by the INN Expert Group is to publish them as a pre-stem in order to collect possible issues.
INN Stem Book Addendum 202506-2024
The document "Use of stems in the selection of International Nonproprietary Names (INN) for pharmaceutical substances" is intended primarily for persons...
-tug for “unmodified immunoglobulins”The suffix -tug is used for monospecific full-length immunoglobulins with unmodified constant...
Last INN Consultation Executive Summary
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INN 79th Executive Summary
During the 79th INN Consultation, 281 INN requests were discussed, including:• 249 new INN requests, of which 155 were for biological substances•...
INN 78th Executive Summary
During the 78th INN Consultation, 288 INN requests were discussed, including:• 261 new INN requests, comprising: o 129 chemical substances ...
INN 77th Executive Summary
During the 77th INN Consultation, 252 INN requests were discussed, including:• 217 new INN requests, of which 146 were for biological substances•...
Last INN Recommended Lists
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INN Recommended List 93
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with article 3 of the Procedure for the Selection ofRecommended International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical...
INN Recommended List 92
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with article 3 of the Procedure for the Selection ofRecommended International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical...
INN Recommended List 91
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with article 3 of the Procedure for the Selection ofRecommended International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical...
Last INN Proposed Lists
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INN Proposed List 132
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with article 3 of the Procedure for the Selection of Recommended International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical...
INN Proposed List 131
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with article 3 of the Procedure for the Selection of Recommended International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical...
INN Proposed List 130
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with article 3 of the Procedure for the Selection of Recommended International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical...