On April 2nd, ASBM Chair Madelaine Feldman, MD, FACR; and Advisory Board Chair, Philip Schneider, MS, FASHP presented before the 68th Consultation on International Nonproprietary Names (INN) for Pharmaceutical Substances in Geneva, Switzerland. This was the twelfth INN Consultation at which ASBM has presented since 2013. 

While the discussions in the Open Session at which ASBM presented are bound by confidentiality agreements pending the publication of an Executive Summary by the INN Programme, the Executive Summary for the 67th INN Consultation may be viewed here.

ASBM surveys have consistently shown strong support for distinct naming among physicians worldwide. Sixty-six percent of U.S. physicians surveyed support distinct naming for all biologics including biosimilars, as do 68% of Canadian and 79% of Australian physicians. Among physicians in Latin America, 94% believe the WHO’s BQ proposal would be helpful in ensuring their patients receive the correct medicine.

In the past year, ASBM has held three meetings to discuss international harmonization of biologic nomenclature. Participants included representatives from the FDA, Health Canada, the WHO, physician and pharmacist societies, and patient advocacy organizations. The first two meetings took place in April and July 2018 in Washington, DC, and the third in March 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario. A white paper on the first of these meetings may be read here.