Ibuprofen brand names

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug ibuprofen is sold under a wide variety of brand names across the world. The most common being Advil, Motrin, and Nurofen.[1][2][3][4][5]

Nurofen

Nurofen
Founder Boots Healthcare International
Headquarters Bath, United Kingdom
Services Medication
Parent Reckitt Benckiser

Nurofen is the brand name of a range of pain-relief medication made by Reckitt Benckiser. Introduced in 1983, the Nurofen brand was acquired following Reckitt Benckiser's acquisition of Boots Healthcare in 2005. The brand is primarily marketed and sold in the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

There are 11 variants of Nurofen, all of which contain ibuprofen as an active ingredient.[6] The ibuprofen is variously formulated as the free acid or the lysine salt, or may alternatively be in the form of a gel cap. In some cases these are marketed as being useful for treating specific types of pain such as back pain or period pain. The primary difference among the various formulations is speed and duration of ibuprofen absorption. According to the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the form of ibuprofen in Nurofen Tension Headache (ibuprofen lysine) is absorbed nearly twice as fast as the form in Neurofen Period Pain (ibuprofen free acid), with the former reaching peak blood concentrations in 38 minutes compared to 80 minutes for the latter.[7]

Some variants of Nurofen contain other active ingredients; for example, Nurofen Cold & Flu contains the non-sedating decongestant pseudoephedrine. Others are advertised as being targeted for specific pain types (for example "Period Pain Relief").

In Australia Nurofen products claiming to be specific to certain types of pain were ordered to be removed from sale, as they were not different from cheaper non-specific Nurofen brands.

Nurofen Plus

Nurofen Plus is a pain relief medication based on codeine and ibuprofen.[8] It contains 12.8 mg of codeine phosphate (a mild opioid analgesic) and 200 mg of ibuprofen,[8] which is an NSAID. Nurofen Plus is the only product in the Nurofen range that contains codeine.

The original tablet was manufactured in two equal parts, joined together and coated. One part would contain the 12.8 mg of codeine phosphate and the other part contained 200 mg of ibuprofen. The tablets could be forcefully split for recreational use of codeine. Such drugs have a potential for misuse because they are available freely to the public.[9]

2011 product recall

In August 25, 2011 it was reported that several packs of Nurofen Plus were found to contain Seroquel XR—a anti-psychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia—in Boots stores across London.[10][11][12] The next day, a safety alert was issued by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Pharmacists were told to check each package of Nurofen Plus to look for anti-psychotic drugs. There were three batches of Nurofen Plus which were affected by the alert. Reckitt Benckiser, manufacturer of Nurofen Plus, said that it did not know where the drugs had been switched. The product was re-released in cellophane-sealed packs.[13]

Christopher McGuire was later found guilty of one count of contaminating goods and two of administering a noxious substance and jailed for 18 months. McGuire cost the manufacturers £2.4m and saved himself £7 when he put anti-psychotic drugs in empty packets of the painkiller. The scheme involved asking for Nurofen Plus at a pharmacy counter and then attempting to pay for it with a card he knew would be declined. This created a sufficient distraction for McGuire to discreetly swap the contaminated packet for the fresh one and walk away.[14]

Misleading advertising

The Australian consumer advocate Choice awarded Nurofen a Shonky[15] in 2010 for charging more for 'targeted' products, all of which had the same active ingredient as the base product.

In 2012 the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration upheld a complaint that Nurofen's advertising of different products for different pain was "misleading or likely to be misleading" and ordered that "any representation that refers to two or more Nurofen products that contain equivalent quantities of ibuprofen and include the same product specific indications on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods must clearly indicate, in the body of the advertisement, that the two products can be used for the same purposes and are interchangeable (or words to that effect)."[16]

In April 2013 the Australian consumer affairs television programme The Checkout ran a story about Nurofen's claims about targeting specific pain. Edelman, the PR company for Reckitt Benckiser provided a statement, some of which was used in the program. Included in the information provided by Edelman were photocopies of some 'sciencey looking documents' that confirmed that Ibuprofen was 'Non-selective' [17] In March 2015 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched proceedings against Reckitt Benckiser for misleading advertising for its targeted pain range. In December 2015 the Federal Court of Australia found that Reckitt Benckiser, which makes Nurofen, had misled consumers with its "Nurofen Specific pain range", and ordered that all Nurofen specific pain products be removed from retail sale within 3 months.[18] A spokeswoman for Reckitt Benckiser argued that, "[This] specific-pain range" was intended "to help consumers navigate their pain relief options, particularly within the grocery environment where there is no healthcare professional to assist decision making."[19] The ACCC said that the products were found to be "no more effective at treating the type of pain described on its packaging than any of the other Nurofen specific pain products", and sold for almost twice the price.[20] Specific pain range painkillers include Nurofen Back Pain, Nurofen Period Pain, Nurofen Migraine Pain and Nurofen Tension, and all contain the "same active ingredient, 342 milligrams of ibuprofen lysine."[19]

Following the 2015 Australian decision, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that it was investigating earlier complaints about a television advertisement for Nurofen Express, alleged to be misleading as it implied that the medicine targeted muscles in the head.[21]

List of brands

Name Country
Act-3 
Actron Argentina, Uruguay, Chile
Adagin Romania
Adex Israel
Arinac Pakistan
Advifen Iran, Uganda, Afghanistan, Iraq
Advil Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Republic of Macedonia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, USA, Romania
Aktren Austria, Germany
Alaxan Philippines
Alges-X Switzerland
Algifor Switzerland
Algoflex Hungary
Algofren Greece
Alindrin Sweden
Alivium Brazil
Anadin Ibuprofen [22] UK
Anadin Joint Pain [22] UK
Arthrofen UK
Artofen Israel
Betagesic South Africa
Betaprofen South Africa
Blokmax Republic of Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia
Bonifen Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia
Brufen Austria, Greece, India, Italy, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, UK, Romania
Brufen Retard[23] UK, Norway[24]
Bugesic Australia
Buplex[25] Ireland
Burana Finland, Sweden, Norway[24]
Buprovil Brazil
Caldolor USA
Calprofen UK
Combiflam India[26][27]
Dalsy[28] Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Spain
Dismenol Austria
Diverin Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia
Dolgit Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Turkey
Dolofort Austria
Doloraz Jordan
Dolormin Germany
Dolo-Spedifen Switzerland
Dorival 
Easofen[29] Ireland
Ebufac UK
EmuProfen USA
Espidifen Spain
Eve Japan
Fenbid China
Fenpaed UK, New Zealand[30]
Finalflex Slovenia
Galprofen UK
Gelofen Iran
Hedex Kenya, Uganda
Herron Blue Australia
i-profen New Zealand
Ibalgin Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania
Ibrofen and Ibugan Thailand
IBU Chile
IBUFEN Israel
Íbúfen Iceland
Ibugel UK
Ibuflam Germany, South Africa
Ibugesic Latvia
IbuHEXAL Germany
Ibuleve Israel, UK
Ibum Poland
Ibumax Finland, South Africa
Ibumetin Austria, Denmark, Latvia, Sweden, Norway[24]
Ibumidol Uruguay
Ibupain South Africa
Ibupirac Uruguay
Ibuprofen Norway, Romania [24]
Ibuprofene Italy
Ibuprom Poland
Ibuprox Norway[24]
IBU-Ratiopharm Germany
Ibuprosyn Finland
Ibustar Latvia
Ibu-Vivimed Germany
Ibux Norway[24] Ibuxin Finland
Ipren Denmark, Sweden
Kratalgin Austria
Lotem South Africa
Medicol Philippines
Moment Italy
Motrin Canada, Republic of Macedonia, USA
Mypaid South Africa
Myprodol South Africa
Narfen South Korea
Naron Ace Japan
Neobrufen Spain
Neofen Croatia
Norvectan Spain
NuprinCanada
Nureflex Austria
Nurofen Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Republic of Macedonia, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UK
Orbifen UK
Paduden Romania
Panafen Australia
Perifar Uruguay
Profin Iraq
Proris Indonesia
Ranfen South Africa
Rapidol Croatia
Ratiodolor Austria
Rimafen UK
Salvarina Spain
Solpaflex Slovenia
Spedifen France
Speedpain NANO South Korea
Spidifen Belgium, Portugal
Tefin Ireland
Unafen India
Upfen Republic of Macedonia

References

  1. Halford, GM; Lordkipanidzé, M; Watson, SP (2012). "50th anniversary of the discovery of ibuprofen: an interview with Dr Stewart Adams.". Platelets 23 (6): 415–22. doi:10.3109/09537104.2011.632032. PMID 22098129.
  2. "PubMed Health – Ibuprofen". U.S. National Library of Medicine. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  3. "Chemistry in your cupboard | Nurofen".
  4. Adams, SS (April 1992). "The propionic acids: a personal perspective.". Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 32 (4): 317–23. doi:10.1002/j.1552-4604.1992.tb03842.x. PMID 1569234.
  5. Rainsford, KD (April 2003). "Discovery, mechanisms of action and safety of ibuprofen.". International Journal of Clinical Practice. Supplement (135): 3–8. PMID 12723739.
  6. "Nurofen website". Nurofen.com. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  7. "MHRA Approval Summary" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  8. 1 2 The Medical Journal of Australia. Nurofen Plus misuse: an emerging cause of perforated gastric ulcer. Accessed 2 July 2009.
  9. Chetty, R; Baoku, Y; Mildner, R; Banerjee, A; Vallance, D; Haddon, A; Labib, M (2003). "Severe hypokalaemia and weakness due to Nurofen misuse". Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 40 (Pt 4): 422–3. doi:10.1258/000456303766477101. PMID 12880547.
  10. "Nurofen "sabotaged" across London". Bellenews.com. 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  11. Jo Adetunji (2011-08-27). "Nurofen Plus recalled as drug manufacturer suspects sabotage". Guardian (London). Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  12. "Nurofen Plus recalled amid sabotage fears". Telegraph (London). 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  13. "Nurofen Plus goes back on sale in tamper-proof packs". BBC News. 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  14. "Nurofen Plus tampering: Christopher McGuire jailed". BBC News. 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  15. http://classic.choice.com.au/shonkyaward/hall-of-shame/shonkys-2010/shonky-2010-nurofen.aspx
  16. https://www.tga.gov.au/advert-complaint/nurofen-reckitt-benckiser-australia-pty-ltd-complaints-no-2012-08-010-and-2012-10-024
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfNqBP900L8
  18. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-14/court-finds-nurofen-made-misleading-pain-relief-claims/7025848
  19. 1 2 Moore, Susan (14 December 2015). "Targeted painkillers zero in on one vital organ – the wallet". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  20. "Nurofen maker Reckitt Benckiser defends Australia packaging - BBC News". BBC. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  21. "Nurofen makers under investigation after court rules on misleading adverts". The Guardian. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  22. 1 2 http://www.anadin.co.uk/products/ibuprofen/
  23. "Brufen Retard – Summary of Product Characteristics". electronic Medicines Compendium. March 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Legemiddelkapitler -> L17 Legemidler ved muskel- og skjelettsykdommer -> L17.1 Antiinflammatoriske midler -> L17.1.1 Ikke‑steroide antiinflammatoriske midler -> L17.1.1.5 Ibuprofen". Norsk legemiddelhåndbok. April 4, 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  25. "Buplex Pain Relief-Ibuprofen Actavis". Retrieved 2015-02-18.
  26. "Combiflam". Drugs.com. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  27. "Stop before you pop". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  28. "Dalsy". Drugs.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. "Easofen Information". Retrieved 2015-02-18.
  30. Fenpaed oral liquid 20mg/mL is listed as being subsidised by Pharmac. "Ibuprofen – Online Pharmaceutical Schedule". Pharmaceutical Management Agency. December 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
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