TGA intends to update medicine ingredient names to align with international usage

6 April 2016 - Health professionals are advised that the TGA is updating a number of medicine ingredient names to align with names used internationally.

By using old ingredient names, the names of medicine ingredients in Australia were becoming more 'unique'.

TGA is updating some medicine ingredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.

There will be a four year transition period for these changes, from April 2016 to April 2020.

Some changes will be minor, for example changing a 'y' to an 'i', and will not affect how the ingredient name is pronounced.

Some changes are more significant. For these products, medicine labels will need to use both the old and new ingredient name for an additional three years after the end of the transition period (until 2023). This will help consumers and health professionals become familiar with the new name.

For more details, go to: http://www.tga.gov.au/publication-issue/medicines-safety-update-volume-7-number-2-april-2016

Michael Wonder

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Michael Wonder