Massachusetts Pharmacy Technician License Practice Test

OxyContin is an example of which type of drug name?

1. Generic name

2. Brand name

3. Chemical name

4. Street name

The correct answer is: Brand name

OxyContin is classified as a brand name for a specific formulation of the opioid medication oxycodone. Brand names are the proprietary names given by pharmaceutical companies to their products. These names are usually trademarked and are intended to differentiate the product from generic versions and other competitors in the market. When a pharmaceutical company develops a drug, they often give it a unique brand name to market it effectively. OxyContin, developed by Purdue Pharma, was marketed as a controlled-release formulation of oxycodone, primarily used for managing pain. The other classifications, such as generic name, chemical name, and street name, refer to different aspects of a drug's identity. The generic name would be "oxycodone," which is the active ingredient in the formulation. The chemical name would describe the drug's chemical structure, and a street name often refers to colloquial terms used by the public or in illicit contexts. In this case, OxyContin’s designation as a brand name is the correct classification.