ABritish Approved Name (BAN) is the official, non-proprietary, or generic name given to apharmaceuticalsubstance, as defined in theBritish Pharmacopoeia (BP).[1] The BAN is also the official name used in some countries around the world, because starting in 1953, proposed new names were evaluated by a panel of experts fromWHO in conjunction with the BP commission to ensure naming consistency worldwide[2] (an effort leading to theInternational Nonproprietary Name system). There is also aBritish Approved Name (Modified) (BANM).[3]
BANs are unique in that names are assigned for combination preparations as well as single-drug preparations. For example, the BANco-amoxiclav is assigned to preparations containingamoxicillin andclavulanic acid. Most other pharmacopoeias simply refer to combination products by both ingredients in the preparation, in this example "amoxicillin with clavulanic acid".
The prefix of "co-" is used for many combination drugs, including opioid with paracetamol or aspirinanalgesics (e.g.,co-codamol,co-codaprin,co-dydramol,co-proxamol); theanti-diarrhoeal, non-analgesic mixture ofdiphenoxylate andatropine,co-phenotrope (trade nameLomotil);antibiotics (e.g.,co-fluampicil andco-trimoxazole);antihypertensives (e.g.,co-tenidone);diuretics (e.g.,co-amilofruse andco-amilozide);gastrointestinal drugs (e.g.,co-danthrusate); and anti-Parkinsonism agents such asco-careldopa,co-beneldopa, andco-cyprindiol.[citation needed]
European Union legislation from 2001 required harmonisation of the BP with theEuropean Pharmacopoeia (EP), as well as the adoption ofInternational Nonproprietary Names through directives (2001/82/EC[4] and 2001/83/EC,[5] as amended, and 2003/63/EC[6]). Across the EU has meant that, with the notable exception ofadrenaline/epinephrine,[7] BANs are now the same as the INNs. For example, the old BANmethicillin was replaced with the current BANmeticillin, matching the INN.
This has resulted in an interesting situation in other countries that use BANs. While the British Pharmacopoeia and BANs are the official pharmacopoeia/names defined by legislation in many of these countries, the former BANs often continue to be used, purportedly because of the difficulty of changeover. Despite the importance of the BP, there appears to be little or no movement in the direction of changing these names. In Australia, theAustralian Approved Names are generally the same as BANs, but a few exceptions remain.
