Are medication names like rituximab, bortezomib, and daratumumab capitalized in medical literature?

Capitalization of Medication Names in Medical Literature

In medical literature, medication names like rituximab, bortezomib, and daratumumab are not capitalized when written in their generic form.

Evidence from Medical Guidelines and Publications

• Generic drug names (nonproprietary names) such as rituximab, bortezomib, and daratumumab are consistently written in lowercase throughout medical literature and guidelines 1.

• This is evident in multiple clinical practice guidelines where these medications appear in lowercase form, including:

  • KASL guidelines for hepatitis B management 1
  • NCCN guidelines for multiple myeloma 1
  • ACR guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis 1
  • Mayo Clinic guidelines for myeloma therapy 1

• When these medications appear in tables, figures, and treatment algorithms, they consistently maintain lowercase formatting 1.

Standard Naming Conventions

• Since the 1960s, the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Program has assigned generic names to active drug ingredients sold in the United States, with specific conventions for formatting 2.

• Generic names follow a scheme where specific syllables (stems) convey information about the drug's chemical structure, action, or indication, but the convention is to write them in lowercase 2.

• Only brand/trade names of medications are capitalized in medical literature (e.g., Rituxan for rituximab) 3, 4.

Examples from Recent Publications

• In recent clinical trials and research publications, these medications are consistently written in lowercase:

  • "daratumumab, bortezomib, and dexamethasone" in The New England Journal of Medicine 5
  • "daratumumab plus bortezomib and dexamethasone" in Haematologica 6
  • "bortezomib combined with rituximab and dexamethasone" in Haematologica 7

• Even in the most recent 2024 publications, this convention is maintained: "daratumumab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone" 8.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not capitalize generic drug names in manuscripts, abstracts, or other medical writing 1.

• Only capitalize brand/trade names of medications, which are typically followed by ® or ™ symbols 3.

• Be consistent throughout a document - mixing capitalized and non-capitalized versions of the same generic drug name is considered incorrect 2.

• When writing about a medication class (e.g., "proteasome inhibitors" for bortezomib), these class names are also not capitalized unless they begin a sentence 4.

By following these conventions, medical writers maintain consistency with established standards in medical literature and ensure clarity in scientific communication.