Which statement correctly pairs a brand name with its generic name?

Which statement correctly pairs a brand name with its generic name?

• A. Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen
• B. Tylenol is the generic name for acetaminophen
• C. Tylenol is the brand name for ibuprofen
• D. Tylenol is the chemical name for acetaminophen

Answer: (A)

Brand names are trademarked marketing names for drugs, while the generic name is the active ingredient. Acetaminophen is the generic name for the common pain reliever, and Tylenol is the brand name under which it’s sold. So saying Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen correctly pairs the two. It’s easy to mix up with other drugs—ibuprofen, for example, is sold under brand names like Advil and Motrin, not Tylenol. Tylenol isn’t the generic name, and acetaminophen isn’t the chemical name you’d see on a label; the generic name is acetaminophen, with the chemical name being a separate, technical descriptor not used in everyday practice.

Brand names are trademarked marketing names for drugs, while the generic name is the active ingredient. Acetaminophen is the generic name for the common pain reliever, and Tylenol is the brand name under which it’s sold. So saying Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen correctly pairs the two. It’s easy to mix up with other drugs—ibuprofen, for example, is sold under brand names like Advil and Motrin, not Tylenol. Tylenol isn’t the generic name, and acetaminophen isn’t the chemical name you’d see on a label; the generic name is acetaminophen, with the chemical name being a separate, technical descriptor not used in everyday practice.