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Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures / RACHEL BRYAN

Swansea University Author: RACHEL BRYAN

  • Accepted Manuscript under embargo until: 13th May 2026

DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUthesis.69508

Abstract

This thesis has set out to identify linguistic latent conditions in international drug names. To achieve this aim, three research questions (RQ) are asked: RQ1, How can the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) nomenclature be characterised in linguistic terms?; RQ2, To what extent are any of the...

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Published: Swansea, Wales, UK 2025
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
Supervisor: Donzelli, Giovanna ; Bodger, Owen
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69508
first_indexed 2025-05-14T13:31:33Z
last_indexed 2025-05-15T10:50:16Z
id cronfa69508
recordtype RisThesis
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spelling 2025-05-14T14:58:16.2683234 v2 69508 2025-05-14 Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures bdf621efc22bd6c01eee7515638b79a3 RACHEL BRYAN RACHEL BRYAN true false 2025-05-14 This thesis has set out to identify linguistic latent conditions in international drug names. To achieve this aim, three research questions (RQ) are asked: RQ1, How can the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) nomenclature be characterised in linguistic terms?; RQ2, To what extent are any of the linguistic features described in answer to RQ1 associated with the occurrence of Look-Alike Sound-Alike (LASA) error?; and RQ3, How can Russian-language and Italian-language pharmaceutical nomenclature be characterised in linguistic terms, and what are the implications of findings from RQ2 for these languages? LASA errors are a type of medication error between similar drug names and constitute a significant threat to patient safety, e.g. hydralazine and hydroxyzine. They are highlighted in the World Health Organization’s 2017 global patient safety challenge Medication without harm. The thesis frames linguistic features that increase the risk of LASA errors as a type of latent condition in the healthcare system that creates ‘accident opportunities’, under Reason’s human error theory. Three shortcomings in the literature are addressed: morphosemantic features of drug nomenclature (most studies look at formal features such as name length), linguistic properties of generic names (most look at brand names), and drug nomenclature in languages other than English. One linguistic latent condition is identified - initial trigram frequency – which leads to a suggestion for manufacturers and regulators to consider encouraging diversity in the beginning strings of names. Several other linguistic variables show potential associations with LASA error that merit further research but fall short of sufficient empirical evidence to make a policy recommendation. Two non-linguistic confounders are identified that significantly drive risk: prescribing frequency and year of approval. Analyses are complemented by two case studies of Russian-language INNs and Italian Common Names. E-Thesis Swansea, Wales, UK Linguistics, medication names, pharmacy, pharmacology, terminology, Russian, Italian, translation, patient safety 13 5 2025 2025-05-13 10.23889/SUthesis.69508 ORCiD identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8617-3882 COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Donzelli, Giovanna ; Bodger, Owen Doctoral Ph.D 2025-05-14T14:58:16.2683234 2025-05-14T14:24:20.9484010 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - Modern Languages, Translation, and Interpreting RACHEL BRYAN 1 Under embargo Under embargo 2025-05-14T14:47:36.8299054 Output 4637984 application/pdf Accepted Manuscript true 2026-05-13T00:00:00.0000000 Copyright: The Author, Rachel Bryan, 2025. Licensed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial No–Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) license. Third party content is excluded for use under the license terms. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en
title Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
spellingShingle Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
RACHEL BRYAN
title_short Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
title_full Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
title_fullStr Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
title_full_unstemmed Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
title_sort Linguistic Latent Conditions in International Nonproprietary Names of Medicines: Linguistic Drivers of Look-Alike Sound-Alike Errors and Implications in Russian and Italian Drug Nomenclatures
author_id_str_mv bdf621efc22bd6c01eee7515638b79a3
author_id_fullname_str_mv bdf621efc22bd6c01eee7515638b79a3_***_RACHEL BRYAN
author RACHEL BRYAN
author2 RACHEL BRYAN
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institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.23889/SUthesis.69508
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hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - Modern Languages, Translation, and Interpreting{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - Modern Languages, Translation, and Interpreting
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description This thesis has set out to identify linguistic latent conditions in international drug names. To achieve this aim, three research questions (RQ) are asked: RQ1, How can the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) nomenclature be characterised in linguistic terms?; RQ2, To what extent are any of the linguistic features described in answer to RQ1 associated with the occurrence of Look-Alike Sound-Alike (LASA) error?; and RQ3, How can Russian-language and Italian-language pharmaceutical nomenclature be characterised in linguistic terms, and what are the implications of findings from RQ2 for these languages? LASA errors are a type of medication error between similar drug names and constitute a significant threat to patient safety, e.g. hydralazine and hydroxyzine. They are highlighted in the World Health Organization’s 2017 global patient safety challenge Medication without harm. The thesis frames linguistic features that increase the risk of LASA errors as a type of latent condition in the healthcare system that creates ‘accident opportunities’, under Reason’s human error theory. Three shortcomings in the literature are addressed: morphosemantic features of drug nomenclature (most studies look at formal features such as name length), linguistic properties of generic names (most look at brand names), and drug nomenclature in languages other than English. One linguistic latent condition is identified - initial trigram frequency – which leads to a suggestion for manufacturers and regulators to consider encouraging diversity in the beginning strings of names. Several other linguistic variables show potential associations with LASA error that merit further research but fall short of sufficient empirical evidence to make a policy recommendation. Two non-linguistic confounders are identified that significantly drive risk: prescribing frequency and year of approval. Analyses are complemented by two case studies of Russian-language INNs and Italian Common Names.
published_date 2025-05-13T05:28:23Z
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