4 ms·

I’d be in favor of two changes to the HN title: 1. s/This popular painkiller/Acetaminophen/ 2. (2016)

by egwynn 9y ago

Ericson2314 9y ago
s/This popular painkiller/Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol,/ I, for one, never studied chemistry.
- d8421l01vv4r 9y ago
  I find using brand names for drugs less-than useful in international contexts. Brand names differ between countries, generic names don't (except paracetamol/acetaminophen).
- WWKong 9y ago
  "GOP breakfast includes a bowl of Tylenol"
  - sctb 9y ago
    Please don't post such tedious, off-topic, flamebait here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- robert_tweed 9y ago
  Everywhere other than the US, it's far more commonly known as paracetamol. In much the same way that nobody calls aspirin "acetylsalicylic acid", paracetamol is the generic name, except in the US for some reason.
  - dom0 9y ago
    Follow-up question: why does it seem like some drugs are packaged kinda like candy for the American market? (https://www.google.de/search?q=tylenol&tbm=isch https://www.google.de/search?q=tylenol&tbm=isch vs. http://www.verschnupft.com/wp-content/uploads/Paracetamol-Ratiopharm_500mg.jpg http://www.verschnupft.com/wp-content/uploads/Paracetamol-Ra...)
    - JChase2 9y ago
      There's off-brand / store-brand drugs that are the same and usually packaged with less marketing, but flashy packaging with name-brand products sell more. They usually charge more too.
    - true_religion 9y ago
      I think it's the difference between brand names and non-brand names. Tylenol is a brand-name thus tries to distinguish itself from the generics on the shelf next to it. This happens in the UK/IE as well. As a comparison. Panadol (UK/IE) brand name for acetaminophen: https://www.google.de/search?q=panadol&tbm=isch https://www.google.de/search?q=panadol&tbm=isch Walzyr. US "generic" anti-histamine: https://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/419979/450.jpg https://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/419979/450.jpg Claratin. US Brandname anti-histamine: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91rArvDAp9L._SY355_.jpg https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91rArvDAp9L... The US also tends not to have true generic drugs, but 'store brand' generics. So a store will carry Tylenol + a single store brand generic, instead of Tylenol + 5 different companies generic brands.
- corin_ 9y ago
  And I never lived in North America - acetaminophen is used in 6 countries, the international name otherwise is paracetamol. Tylenol is a brand name in 14 countries worldwide. (Numbers from Wikipedia.)
- deleted 9y ago
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- deleted 9y ago
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- GunlogAlm 9y ago
  As a Brit, I would have no idea what "Tylenol" is, so I'd question the usefulness of using brand names.

I’d be in favor of two changes to the HN title: 1. s/This popular painkiller/Acetaminophen/ 2. (2016)

by egwynn 9y ago

I’d be in favor of two changes to the HN title: 1. s/This popular painkiller/Acetaminophen/ 2. (2016)

Ericson2314 9y ago

s/This popular painkiller/Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol,/ I, for one, never studied chemistry.

d8421l01vv4r 9y ago
I find using brand names for drugs less-than useful in international contexts. Brand names differ between countries, generic names don't (except paracetamol/acetaminophen).
WWKong 9y ago
"GOP breakfast includes a bowl of Tylenol"
- sctb 9y ago
  Please don't post such tedious, off-topic, flamebait here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
robert_tweed 9y ago
Everywhere other than the US, it's far more commonly known as paracetamol. In much the same way that nobody calls aspirin "acetylsalicylic acid", paracetamol is the generic name, except in the US for some reason.
- dom0 9y ago
  Follow-up question: why does it seem like some drugs are packaged kinda like candy for the American market? (https://www.google.de/search?q=tylenol&tbm=isch https://www.google.de/search?q=tylenol&tbm=isch vs. http://www.verschnupft.com/wp-content/uploads/Paracetamol-Ratiopharm_500mg.jpg http://www.verschnupft.com/wp-content/uploads/Paracetamol-Ra...)
  - JChase2 9y ago
    There's off-brand / store-brand drugs that are the same and usually packaged with less marketing, but flashy packaging with name-brand products sell more. They usually charge more too.
  - true_religion 9y ago
    I think it's the difference between brand names and non-brand names. Tylenol is a brand-name thus tries to distinguish itself from the generics on the shelf next to it. This happens in the UK/IE as well. As a comparison. Panadol (UK/IE) brand name for acetaminophen: https://www.google.de/search?q=panadol&tbm=isch https://www.google.de/search?q=panadol&tbm=isch Walzyr. US "generic" anti-histamine: https://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/419979/450.jpg https://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/419979/450.jpg Claratin. US Brandname anti-histamine: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91rArvDAp9L._SY355_.jpg https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91rArvDAp9L... The US also tends not to have true generic drugs, but 'store brand' generics. So a store will carry Tylenol + a single store brand generic, instead of Tylenol + 5 different companies generic brands.
corin_ 9y ago
And I never lived in North America - acetaminophen is used in 6 countries, the international name otherwise is paracetamol. Tylenol is a brand name in 14 countries worldwide. (Numbers from Wikipedia.)
deleted 9y ago
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GunlogAlm 9y ago
As a Brit, I would have no idea what "Tylenol" is, so I'd question the usefulness of using brand names.